A few months ago (6 to be more precise), I gained access to a low-powered microscope with the aim of exploring my collection of crystals just a little closer.
A low-powered microscope has an external light source, unlike some of the more high-powered microscopes you might use in biology at school. This allowed us to put some decently sized specimens on the tray, without having to scrape some crystal dust onto a slide!
I entered the lab with no specific aim - only a bit of fun and potentially to look at something cool. I had these crystals sitting in my collection for a while now, and I just longed to be able to look at their intricacies in more detailed, and that is exactly what I set off to do.
Results
In this section, I'll show you the photos of what I noticed and what I saw, as well as speak about why I chose those specific crystals to investigate.
Pyrite
Aren't you amazed by the beauty of Pyrite under the microscope? Despite my piece being quite lumpy and bumpy, pyrite is well known for it's cubic formation, and my piece is no different. When looking closely at the specimen, you can see lots of tiny cubic structures! Pyrite specimens that come in full cubes can be expensive, and this kind of pyrite is more likely found at your local rock shop. However, we can't be disappointed - this image is marvellous!
Cubic systems are also called isometric systems, and that is a major characteristic of pyrite.
Chemically, pyrite, or fool's gold, is an iron sulphide, with the chemical formula FeS₂, and is considered the most abundant sulphide mineral. Pyrite is a 6-6.5 on the Moh's hardness scale, and it has a metallic luster. It is a very common mineral, often found among other minerals, like quartz or rhodochrosite, and can be found notable in the USA, Spain, the UK, Peru, Italy and China. Many of the beautiful full cube specimens are of Spanish origin.
The name 'pyrite' is actually derived from the Greek word 'Pyr', which means the 'fire', which is because it emits sparks when being struck by iron. Spiritually, Pyrite wards off negative energies, while also promoting ambition and prosperity.
Smoky Quartz with Inclusions
This was an unremarkable quartz point that I picked out of a selection of crystal clear, perfect quartz points. I picked it out because of how dull it was - it wasn't dazzlingly clear, like the other points in the bowl. In fact, it was seemingly ugly. So I bought it, and gave the ugly duckling a new home.
While this crystal did not make have a magical makeover into a beautiful swan, it does emphasise how you should never judge a book by it's cover. Firstly, there are these excellent blood-red iron inclusions, which look like black smudges under the naked eye. As well as that, there are tiny, hair-like rutile needles. Rutile is composed of primarily titanium dioxide (TiO₂). This specimen has iron impurities giving them a blood-red finish. Rutile is responsible for the asterism effect in 'Star' rose quartz!
In terms of where you can find rutilated quartz, Madagascar and Brazil tend to be the main locations. Rutile itself, however, can be found worldwide, and typically as an inclusion inside another mineral.
Carnelian
Don't worry, we have not landed on the surface of Mars, we are just looking at yet another crystal which seems unremarkable to the naked eye, yet is absolutely stunning under the 'scope. Carnelian is a type of microcrystalline quartz that is usually found in nodules, and is known for its deep orange to red colours. Carnelian is one of my favourite crystals metaphysically, and this piece was my first ever find! Everyone who has ever seen my collection has deemed this the ugliest, and their least favourite, however under the microscope, this stones has a whole new personality.
Since this is under the quartz family, it is a simple SiO₂, with a trigonal crystal system. Carnelian is a variety of chalcedony, which as mentioned is a microcrystalline quartz. It's deep red colour comes from iron oxide deposits.
Historically, the Egyptian Goddess, Isis, used carnelian to protect their dead on the journey to the afterlife. Spiritually today, carnelian is said to stimulate creativity and banish anger.
Labradorite
Labradorite is a fan favourite among crystal for it's gorgeous labradorescence. This is created by the crystals structure causing light to pass through different layers at different wavelengths, creating the spectrum of different colours, the rarest being pinks and purples.
It is named after Labrador in Canada, where the first pieces of Labradorite were found, although it has since been found in Australia, the Adirondack mountains, and Madagascar. For centuries, Labradorite has been surrounded by myths and legends. The most famous being that the Aurora Borealis, said to connect the Inuit to their ancestors, fell from the sky and became trapped in the rocks off the coast of Labrador. An Inuit warrior found the trapped lights and smashed the rocks in attempt to free them. Most of the lights were said to escape, but not all of them. The rest of the lights and spirits were trapped in the rocks forever.
Gem quality labradorite is known as spectrolite, and can only be found in Finland. Labradorite is often misleadingly sold as spectrolite, with a hefty price tag.
Spiritually, labradorite is a stone of huge transformation and perseverance.
Lepidolite
Lepidolite is simply a purple/pink coloured mica, with it’s colour being mainly formed from the minerals manganese and lithium. It's alternative names include pink mica and pink muscovite, but the name lepidolite comes from the Greek 'lepidos', meaning 'scaly', describing it's characteristics.
Lepidolite is mainly found in Brazil, China and the USA, and has a monoclinic crystal system, which describes an almost orthorhombic shape. However, the difference between a monoclinic and orthorhombic crystals system is that the monoclinic system has three unequal axis, with one oblique and two perpendicular intersections while the orthorhombic system has three unequal axis at right angles.
Typical of mica, lepidolite is very soft, only a 2.5-3 on the Moh's hardness scale. For reference, your fingernail is about a 2.5, and a copper penny is a 3.5, meaning you could scratch lepidolite with a 1p piece. Not only that, but with sheets of lepidolite, you can peel away the different layers of mica!
Metaphysically, lepidolite is said to help you cope with new changes and help to soothe distrust, as well as inspire positive life changes.
Pink Tourmaline
Pink tourmaline goes under the alternative name 'rubellite', as it can emulate a ruby colour. Historically, Chinese Empress Tzu Hsi favoured pink tourmaline, importing 120 tons from California in the early 20th century. When she died, she was laid to rest on a pillow of rubellite. #
Pink tourmaline shares the same Moh's hardness score as black tourmaline (schorl) of 7.5. It is mainly mined in Brazil, Madagascar, the USA and Afghanistan. It's crystal system is trigonal, and interestingly in the image, you can see how tourmaline forms as elongates prismatic crystals which are heavily striated. These characteristics are similar to aquamarine.
Geologically, tourmaline forms within igneous and metamorphic rocks. They can be formed via hydrothermal activity, when hot vapours carry the elements needed to form tourmaline into air pockets and cavities in rocks.
Spiritually, tourmaline is the birthstone of October, and pink tourmaline specifically is said to boost feminine energy, and attract spiritual love.
Clear Quartz
This is a little bit of a show-stopping image, and so I will wait for a round of applause....
...Thank you.
This quartz point is almost invisible to the naked eye, and it blends into all the other tiny points that make up this geode. Quartz is the second most abundant minerals on earth, and we usually find it in England as quartz veins in slate cliffs, notably in Devon, and as tiny, glassy pebbles on beaches. However, quartz does come in gorgeous geodes and clusters. I didn't expect to see points in this much detail when I was embarking on this journey so this is definitely a lovely surprise.
Quartz is a silica mineral, with a trigonal crystal system (forming that beautiful point shape, and a Moh's hardness of 7. Geodes form as cavities in rocks, which gasses and liquids pass through, depositing the chemicals needed to form crystals.
Conclusions
I had a fantastic time exploring my collection even further. Since this, I've collected a few more specimens that I would love to bring along to another microscopy session, and to further explore different crystals. Since there was no definitive objective, there aren't necessarily many conclusions to be made except that this was a lot of fun!
Not only this, but as time goes on, you can see my microscope skills improve, which is definitely another outcome which I can enjoy!