I found a large (about 1 inch long) perfectly transparent quartz crystal in Colorado. The crystal has a flat, crystal-like shard of silvery metal inside of it, like almost dead center. Does anyone know what kind of metal this would be? I know some crystals typically grow on a specific type of rock; does this also apply to metals? also, it this particularly rare?
What Gives Amethyst Its Color
Amethyst is a variety of quartz (chemical formula SiO2). In amethyst, the chromophore is iron, in the form of dissolved iron in its ferric (Fe+3) state. For the past 30-40 years it was assumed that rutile TiO2 inclusions are the cause. It has been recently suggested that fibrous inclusions of the mineral dumortierite (Al,Fe)7 [O3 | BO3 | (SiO4)3] are responsible for the haze and color of rose quartz. This first sounds like an odd suggestion, as dumortierite is often deeply blue (even the color of its streak), but there are pink variants. Citrine has ferric impurities, and is rarely found naturally. Brazil is the leading producer of citrine, with much of its production coming from the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The name is derived from Latin citrina which means yellow and is also the origin of the word citron.
