Quartz
Clear crystal quartz forms naturally when silica rich solutions occur in underground cavities and fractures where conditions will allow unobstructed growth. The smooth planar surfaces reflect the symmetry of the crystal lattice, but do not represent cleavage planes. When the hexagonal symmetry is exhibited by the crystals, it represents the pattern formed by unobstructed growth.
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Rose QuartzQuartz is silicon dioxide, SiO2. Quartz is abundant in the Earth's crust, being the chemically simplest form of the silicates. All the samples here are displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The sample above is about 18x10 cm and is from Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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