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Quartz
Quartz in the mineral kingdom are the most varied in form. They vary as crystal or aggregates. Quartz is one of the most common minerals, forming 12 percent of the Earth's crust. It is found all over the world and the most common of all rocks and minerals. It occurs as masses and also as crystals.
When pure it is colorless, but there are many colored varieties. Minerals inside the quarts help determine the color and varieties, sometimes clear and sometimes solid colors. Many gems as will as common beach rocks are part of the very large quartz family.
Amethyst is a very popular crystal with beautiful purple to violet in color. It owes it coloring to iron mixtures and radioactive decay.
Citrine is crystallized quartz with a yellow color caused by the presents of iron trixiod.
French Quarts is glassy clear and are found in large "candy"clusters . These minerals form regular shaped solids with flate surfaces which are know as crystal.
Agate is chalcedony with a banded, variegated look. The bands are either wavy or straight. Agates are also in the quartz family and have the widest range of color. Brazil exports huge quantizes of agates. Egg shaped rocks have beautiful centers. Petrified wood is usually an agatized wood.
Agate Quartz can be found anywhere from the Mojave Dessert to the beaches of Cape Cod.
To go back to the collection use the Museum Link
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