12 Unique Types of Quartz Found at Flash Mountain
“Crowned” Solution Quartz
This type of quartz is the most famous, bearing an incredible amount of tiny terminations on each or either side of the crystal(s).
Faden Quartz
Faden quartz is a type of quartz that is usually tabular, and refers to a white line that looks like a “thread” running through the crystals, seemingly stringing them together in a chain-like form.
Curved Quartz
This variety speaks for itself. It grows with a curved shape and these look unreal!
Cookeite Coated Quartz
Quartz that has tiny balls of the rare mineral Cookeite which formed on the outside of the crystal.
Cookeite Included Quartz
These have the Cookeite which formed first, and then the silica was deposited atop the Cookeite, causing the Cookeite to be trapped inside the crystal.
Tabular Quartz
Tabular quartz crystals, also known as “tabbies,” are quite popular oddities in the world of quartz, and form in a flattened, yet fully-terminated structure, resembling a tablet.
Druzy Quartz
Druzy quartz is created by a cluster of tiny, little crystals atop a surface, which create a dazzling and glittering effect.
Shale Included Quartz
In some rare cases, black shale became trapped within a quartz crystal by simply being present in a particular spot at the time of the silica’s deposit. These are few, but fun to find!
Cross-Shaped Quartz
Another one of our most famous shapes, the cross crystals grow atop one another, and sometimes, grow with one crystal penetrating the other. These unique specimens can form in perfect T’s, X’s, or any other letter of the alphabet. The possibilities are limitless!
Quartz with Penetrators
These crystals form when one crystal penetrates through another crystal, making really interesting and beautiful specimens.
Haystack Clusters
These clusters form in crazy shapes, often containing a large amount of tiny, needle-like crystals which form and stack in all directions atop one another, creating a “haystack” or “burr” look, which is a very popular cluster variety, but a bit less common to find than others.
“Singer” Quartz
Occasionally, you’ll find a crystal that makes a lovely “ping” sound as it touches another. This type of pair is called a pair of “singers” and are loved by all who collect them. These are usually in tabular shapes, or come in very thin, needle-like forms. What causes this to happen is not clear, but not all quartz creates this fun sound.