『Abstract
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust
and the most important silica mineral, occurring in large amounts
in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The mineral is
widely used as a raw material in several industrial applications.
Because of its chemical composition (SiO2)
and its specific properties, quartz can be used both as a bulk
product (e.g. quartz sands in the glass or foundry industry) and
as a high-tech material (3.g. piezo or optical quartz).
Dependent on the specific conditions of either natural or synthetic
formation, quartz can display typomorphic properties. Variations
in crystal shape, specific micro-structure, trace element or isotope
compositions, characteristic spectroscopic properties, etc. may
be controlled by the genesis of the quartz involved. Accordingly,
the defect structure of quartz is a fingerprint of its conditions
of formation. A knowledge of the interrelation between quartz
genesis and the specific properties developed at that time can
be used both for the reconstruction of geological processes and
for specific technical applications. Selected examples in the
present study give an overview of how to analyse and use the specific
information inherent in the mineral quartz.
Keywords: quartz; genesis; chemical composition; physical properties;
technical application.』
Introduction
The SiO2 system and the structure of quartz
Characterization of point defects in quartz using cathodoluminescence
(CL)
Dislocations and internal structures in quartz
Mineral and fluid inclusions in quartz (three-dimensional defects)
Trace elements
Industrial use of quartz
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References