Hobbies And Interests
Identification
Quartz is made up of silicon dioxide and is a component in every rock type. They come in a variety of sizes from large macrocrystalline varieties to cryptocrystalline that are even too small to be seen under a microscope. Quartz comes in a variety of colors, and their transparency varies from translucent to transparent.
Uses
Quartz is inexpensive to collect. The abundance and variety also means a collector could have a very large collection without having duplicates. Quartz is also used for jewelry and other ornamental purposes, optical lenses, glass, abrasives, electrical components and building stone.
Geography
Quartz is found around the world, but familiar varieties come from certain areas. Amethyst, a quartz noted for its purple color, is found in Russia, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico and a few localities in the United States and Canada. Citrine, an orange quartz, is found in very small quantities alongside amethyst deposits. Rose quartz, a light pink quartz, is found worldwide, but large formations are found primarily in Brazil.