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Quartz with Clinochlore
Ken Larsen
Specimen | Catalog Number | Locality | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Quartz | NMNH G10679 | Brazil | 11.73 ct |
Gift of Mauro Panto in 2011.
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust. It is the major constituent of beach sand and an important component of many types of rocks. Quartz is composed of the elements silicon and oxygen. In its pure state it is colorless, but just small amounts of various impurity atoms can yield a variety of colors. It is common to find inclusions in quartz crystals. Quartz is usually one of the last minerals to form in a deposit, so it sometimes grows around existing crystals. Because quartz is commonly clear, the inclusions are easy to see. This pear-shaped quartz gem from Brazil is 11.73 ct and has inclusions of clinochlore, a chlorite mineral. The green inclusions resemble lily pads.