What is Quartz?

Quartz is a chemical compound consisting of one part

silicon and two parts oxygen. It is silicon dioxide (SiO2). It
is the most abundant mineral found at Earth's surface and
its unique properties make it one of the most useful natural
substances.

Where is Quartz Found?

Herkimer "Diamond" quartz crystals. A clear, "rock
crystal" variety of quartz.
Quartz is the most abundant and widely distributed mineral
found at Earth's surface. It is present and plentiful in all
parts of the world. It forms at all temperatures. It is
abundant in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
It is highly resistant to both mechanical and chemical
weathering. This durability makes it the dominant mineral
of mountaintops and the primary constituent of beach,
river and desert sand. Quartz is ubiquitous, plentiful and
durable. Minable deposits are found throughout the world.

Physical Properties of Quartz

Chemical
silicate
Classification
Quartz occurs in virtually every color. Glassmaking is one of the primary uses of quartz. ©
Common colors are clear, white, gray, iStockphoto / Chinaface.
Color
purple, yellow, brown, black, pink,
green, red.
Streak colorless (harder than the streak plate)
Luster vitreous
Diaphaneity transparent to translucent
none - typically breaks with a
Cleavage
conchoidal fracture
Mohs Hardness 7
Specific Gravity 2.6 to 2.7
Diagnostic conchoidal fracture, glassy luster, One of the first uses of quartz, in the form of flint, was the
Properties hardness production of sharp objects such as knife blades, scrapers
Chemical and projectile points such as the arrowheads shown
SiO2
Composition above. © iStockphoto / Leslie Banks
Crystal System hexagonal
glass making, abrasive, foundry sand,
Uses hydraulic fracturing proppant,
gemstones

What are the Uses for Quartz?

Quartz is one of the most useful natural materials. Its

usefulness can be linked to its physical and chemical
properties. It has a hardness of seven on the Mohs Scale
which makes it very durable. It is chemically inert in
contact with most substances. It has electrical properties Quartz is often used in jewelry or as a gemstone. These
and heat resistance that make it valuable in electronic jasper beads are an example of quartz used as a gemstone.
products. Its luster, color and diaphaneity make it useful as
a gemstone and also in the making of glass.

Uses of Quartz in Glass Making

Geological processes have occasionally deposited sands

that are composed of almost 100% quartz grains. These
deposits have been identified and produced as sources of
high purity silica sand. These sands are used in the
glassmaking industry. Quartz sand is used in the
production of container glass, flat plate glass, specialty
glass and fiberglass.

Uses of Quartz as an Abrasive High purity quartz sandstone suitable for the manufacture
of high quality glass. "Glass sand" is a sandstone that is
composed almost entirely of quartz grains. Pictured here
is a specimen of the Oriskany Sandstone from Hancock,
The high hardness of quartz, seven on the Mohs Scale, West Virginia. In a few locations the Oriskany is over
makes it harder than most other natural substances. As 99% pure quartz. Much of it has been used for container
such it is an excellent abrasive material. Quartz sands and glass but some of it has been selected for use in making
finely ground silica sand are used for sand blasting, lenses for the largest telescopes. Specimen is about four
scouring cleansers, grinding media, and grit for sanding inches (ten centimeters across).
and sawing.
Uses of Quartz as a Foundry Sand

Quartz is very resistant to both chemicals and heat. It is

therefore often used as a foundry sand. With a melting
temperature higher than most metals it can be used for the
molds and cores of common foundry work. Refractory
brick are often made of quartz sand because of its high
heat resistance. Quartz sand is also used as a flux in the
smelting of metals.

Uses in the Petroleum Industry

Translucent rose quartz in the rough.

Quartz sand has a high resistance to being crushed. In the
petroleum industry sand slurries are forced down oil and
gas wells under very high pressures in a process known as
hydraulic fracturing. This high pressure fractures the
reservoir rocks and the sandy slurry injects into the
fractures. The durable sand grains hold the fractures open
after the pressure is released. These open fractures
facilitate the flow of natural gas into the well bore.

Many Other Quartz Sand Uses

Quartz sand is used as a filler in the manufacture of rubber,

paint and putty. Screened and washed, carefully sized Ametrine: a bicolor stone combining golden citrine and
quartz grains are used as filter media and roofing granules. purple amethyst - 8x10 mm
Quartz sands are used for traction in the railroad and
mining industries. These sands are also used in recreation
on golf courses, volleyball courts, baseball fields,
children's sand boxes and beaches.

Uses of Quartz Crystals

High quality quartz crystals are single-crystal silica with

optical or electronic properties that make them useful for
specialty purposes. USGS estimates that about ten billion
quartz crystals are used every year.
Electronics grade crystals can be used in filters, frequency
controls, timers, electronic circuits that become important
components in cell phones, watches, clocks, games,
television receivers, computers, navigational instruments
and other products. Optical-grade crystals can be used as
lenses and windows in lasers and other specialized devices.
Although some natural quartz crystals are used in these
applications, most of these special crystals are now
manufactured.

Quartz as a Gemstone

Quartz makes an excellent gemstone. It is hard, durable

Translucent rose quartz - cut and polished beads. Each
and usually accepts a brilliant polish. Popular varieties of
bead is about ten millimeters in diameter.
quartz that are widely used as gems include: amethyst,
citrine, rose quartz, and aventurine. Agate and jasper are
also varieties of quartz with a microcrystalline structure.

Special Silica Stone Uses

"Silica stone" is an industrial term for materials such as

quartzite, novaculite and other microcrystalline quartz
rocks. These are used to produce abrasive tools, deburring
media, grinding stones, hones, oilstones, stone files, tube-
mill liners and whetstones.

Tripoli

Transparent "rock crystal" quartz. This specimen shows

the conchoidal fracture (fracture that produces curved
Tripoli is crystalline silica of an extremely fine grain size surfaces) that is characteristic of the mineral. Specimen is
(less than ten micrometers). Commercial tripoli is a nearly about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from
pure silica material that is used for a variety of mild Minas Gerais, Brazil.
abrasive purposes which include: soaps, toothpastes, metal
polishing compounds, jewelry polishing compounds and
buffing compounds. Tripoli is also used in brake friction
products, fillers in enamel, caulking compounds, plastic,
paint, rubber and refractories.
 Chert is a microcrystaline or cryptocrystalline quartz. It
"Novaculite" is a dense, cryptocrystalline variety of occurs as nodules and concretionary masses and less
quartz with a fine-grained and very uniform texture. As frequently as a layered deposit. This specimen is about
quartz, it has a hardness of 7 (harder than steel) and is four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Joplin,
used as a "whetstone" for sharpening knives. Missouri.

Aventurine is colorful variety of quartz that contains Silicified "petrified" wood is formed when buried plant
abundant shiny inclusions of minerals such as mica or debris is infiltrated with mineral-bearing waters which
hematite. It is often cut and polished for use as an precipitate quartz. This quartz infills the cavities within
ornamental stone. Common colors for aventurine are the wood and often replaces the woody tissues. This
green, orange and blue. This specimen is about four specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and
inches (ten centimeters) across and is from India. is from Yuma County, Arizona.
Purple crystalline quartz is known as "amethyst". When
transparent and of high quality it is often cut as a
gemstone. This specimen is about four inches (ten
centimeters) across and is from Guanajuato, Mexico.

A Herkimer "Diamond" quartz crystal in dolostone. This

specimen is about six inches (fifteen centimeters) across
and is from Middleville, New York.

Flint is a variety of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline

quartz. It occurs as nodules and concretionary masses and
less frequently as a layered deposit. It breaks consistently
with a conchoidal fracture and was one of the first
materials used to make tools by early people. They used it
to make cutting tools. After thousands of years, people
continue to use it. It is presently used as the cutting edge
in some of the finest surgical tools. This specimen is
about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from
Dover Cliffs, England.