History of QuartzQuartz is the second most abundant mineral that is from the Earth's crust. It consists of (SiO2), silicon dioxide and is a very important in the way that it is used. Quartz is used everywhere from jewelry to building and manufacturing. Some uses for quartz is that it is used as an abrasive in sandpaper, used to make glass, used as an abrasive in sandpaper, and used for sandblasting. Quartz is an organic occurring mineral and has been around and used since prehistoric times. In nature, quartz is found in most types of rocks, these being igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. When it is being formed in open areas, the quartz forms six sided prismatic crystals. However, when formed deep in the earth, quartz is formed in small round masses. Quartz is very different from many other rocks and minerals as it doesn't get affected by weathering. Even when the rocks that hold quartz are being eroded, quartz does not because it is physically and chemically resistant to erosion by weathering. Quartz can be found in many different environments world wide. For example, naturally, quartz is mainly found in the United States and Brazil. The problem with natural quartz is that it has many different chemical impurities which only make useful in jewelry. This has also resulted in the process of manufacturing quartz without impurities. This is called "cultured quartz". Cultured quartz is grown in fully controlled laboratory conditions. Almost 200 metric tons of manufactured quartz are made every year. Since quartz is very abundant, there are no worries of it running out.
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What is Quartz?
According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, quartz is "a mineral consisting of silicon dioxide occurring in colorless and transparent or colored hexagonal crystals or in crystalline masses"