Appendix 4

Quartz

Quartz is one of the most common and fascinating minerals. Unlike the minerals that we
have concentrated on in the text, quartz is not an ionic compound. It is a three-dimen-
sional covalent network compound that contains Si–O covalent bonds. The Si–O bond
is one of the strongest covalent bonds with a bond energy of 450 kJ/mole, which can be
compared to other covalent single bonds such as the C–O (360 kJ/mole) and the P–O
(340 kJ/mole) bonds. Because the electronegativity of silicon is about 1.8 while oxygen is
3.5, the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms is large enough to give the
bond significant ionic character, which is one of the factors that makes the bond so strong.
Quartz exists as two polymorphic forms: alpha-quartz (or low quartz), stable at room
temperature and pressure, and beta-quartz (or high quartz), stable only at temperatures
above about 600°C. The structure of alpha-quartz is shown below:

The structure contains what appear to be both 6- and 12-membered rings of silicons and
oxygens. Although it is not easy to see from the illustration above, both sets of “rings”

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174 Appendix 4 Quartz

actually spiral down through the structure along the c-axis. The structure of beta-quartz is
very similar but slightly more symmetric. The two polymorphs differ by slight distortions
in the crystal lattice and are called displacive polymorphs.
Alpha quartz belongs to the point group 32, whereas the more symmetric beta quartz
has 622 symmetry. Alpha quartz has a variety of different crystal habits, several of which
are shown below:

The two forms on the left are formed by beta quartz, but are also formed, although not
commonly, by alpha quartz. Quartz forms a large number of colored varieties, including
rose quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, citrine (light-yellow), and milky quartz. Inclusions
such as rutile and hematite are fairly common. It also exists in a large number of varieties
that exhibit no macroscopic crystalline structure. These include chalcedony, agate, flint,
chert, and jasper.
Compounds with the formula SiO2 also include tridymite and cristobalite, both formed
at high temperatures. Each of these polymorphs of SiO2 are reconstructive polymorphs of
quartz: bond breaking is required for transitions from one to another, a process that requires
considerable energy. Thus, these polymorphs can be found at room temperature and pres-
sure because of the low rate at which they convert to quartz, which is more stable at room
temperature and pressure. Both tridymite and cristobalite also have alpha and beta dis-
placive polymorphs. Alpha tridymite is orthorhombic, beta tridymite is hexagonal, alpha
cristobalite is tetragonal, and beta cristobalite is isometric. Finally, two more polymorphs,
coesite (monoclinic) and stishovite (tetragonal), are formed only at very high pressures.
Both have been found at Meteor Crater in Arizona, presumably formed by the high pres-
sure (and temperature) produced upon impact of a meteor.
The following page presents photographs of a few of the many forms that crystalline
quartz can adopt.
 Appendix 4 Quartz 175

Quartz, Artichoke (Shangbao, Leiyang Hunan

Province, China)

Quartz, Cactus Amethyst (Magaliesberg, South

Africa)

Quartz ps Calcite (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

Quartz ps Calcite (Irai, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

Smoky Quartz, Japan Law Twin (Lincoln Co., New

Mexico)

Quartz, var. Morion (Fazenda Recruta Vitoria da

Conquista, Bahia, Brazil)