Some Rocks That Aren't Just Rocks

Something that a lot of people may not know, is I have a slight obsession with rocks. Some may call this unhealthy, others refer to it as a hobby. I personally consider it a lifestyle.

Jokes aside, rocks are pretty cool. Very cool, in fact. And I have a small (around 100 piece) collection of them. However, on my return to university, it seemed that I have left many of my prized possessions at home. So in this post, we will be exploring the rocks I have actually managed to bring with me, and dive into just how cool they are.

Quartz

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in and on our earth. Quartz is comprised of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is the fourth strongest mineral on our earth, after diamond, sapphire and topaz. Quartz can be found all over the world, and on both sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock. It scores a 7 on the Moh's hardness scale (you can put it in water) and it has a vitreous lustre. Quartz has a hexagonal (or trigonal) crystalline structure, which are formed of 7 atoms, which makes a hexagon around a central atom. These structures connect in a lattice form. There are many variations of quartz!

Clear quartz is the most abundant of these variations. It can look almost glassy! Some sellers sell glass instead of clear quartz, and trick lots of collectors. You can always tell between glass and quartz through two easy tests: 1. temperature - how warm or cold is the crystal? If it is room temperature then it is glass. But if it remains cold, it must be quartz. 2. Magnification. Quartz doesn't magnify writing, so place your piece on a book and see if it magnifies the text. Quartz is actually used in many things we use everyday, including clocks and many electrical devices.

The pictures above show a clear quartz that I extracted from a slate cliff in Devon!

In spirituality, clear quartz is a master healer, and can be used in place on any crystal. It is known to balance and amplify energies. I like to keep quartz by my laptop when my Wi-Fi is being temperamental.

Amethyst is form of quartz that is extremely popular in jewellery and spirituality. Despite many thinking amethyst's stunning purples coming from what's inside the crystal, it's surroundings have a big impact on it's colour. Amethyst actually contains trace amounts of iron, which is irradiated from the natural radiation in the rocks surrounding the amethyst. This radiation alters the lattice structure which allows purple light to be absorbed by the crystal. However, this crystal can be bleached by the sun, so be careful about placing it on your window sill.

In spirituality, Amethyst is one of the most popular and most favourited crystals. It's known to soothe anxiety and it is excellent for mediation. It is known as a good all-round crystal. I like to keep mine by my bed for some good sleep!

Rose quartz has been used in jewellery dating all the way back to 7,000BC and unlike clear quartz and amethyst, it is rarely found in a defined crystal shape. Rose quartz is mainly found in Brazil, Madagascar and China, but can be found all over the world. It's pink colour is mainly caused by trace amounts of titanium, iron or manganese.

In spirituality, rose quartz is known as a stone of unconditional love, both for yourself and others. I tend to use mine in the shower, by gliding it across my insecurities. It is also said to encourage forgiveness and self-trust.

Spirit quartz is a particularly unique piece of quartz which tends to grow in a finger or candle shape. This quartz acts as a matrix for other tiny terminations of quartz to form on. Spirit quartz tends to be white, purple-lilac or orangey-brown, but can be artificially enhanced, like the one pictured above!

Spiritually, spirit quartz is super high vibrational, excellent for connecting with spirits, enhancing your intuition or doing dream work. These can be excellent display specimens for your crystal shelf.

This is just an overview of some of my favourite quartz pieces and be prepared for more once I receive them from home! In some future posts, I will cover some different crystals and speak on their geological properties!

What is your favourite type of quartz? And what other types do you have in your collection?