Clear Quartz Crystal Specimen B

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. Quartz is an igneous rock composed of oxygen and silicon atoms that crystallizes around magma or hydrothermal vents. It is the most abundant mineral on planet earth and can be found in the form of points, masses, grains, prisms, and even threaded. Quartz was first recorded in 300 B.C. by Theophrastus and was given the name kristallos. The origin comes from the word “ice” signifying the ancient belief that Quartz was encapsulated in ice. The modern name, Quartz Crystal, comes from the German word "quartz" meaning "hard" and the Ancient Greek word "kruos" meaning "icy cold" This quartz specimen exabits extremely crystals but why is that? Good question. There are a few factors that can play into this.  High Purity – Clear quartz is composed almost entirely of silicon dioxide with very few impurities. Impurities like iron, aluminum, or titanium can introduce color or cloudiness. Minimal Inclusions