mineral
Blue Quartz with Graphite/Tourmaline Inclusions
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Carbon (C) or Schorl elements
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Smoky blue to grayish-blue with black inclusions, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Smoky blue to grayish-blue with black inclusions, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed in silica-rich igneous environments such as pegmatites or in metamorphic rocks. The blue color often results from microscopic inclusions of blue minerals or Rayleigh scattering of light caused by fine structural defects or inclusions.
Uses & applications
Used primarily for lapidary work, decorative sculpture, energy healing collections, and as a mineral specimen.
Geological facts
Blue quartz is significantly rarer than clear, amethyst, or rose quartz. The 'blue' color is often an optical illusion caused by the scattering of light by tiny inclusions, similar to why the sky appears blue.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic waxy to vitreous luster and lack of cleavage. In the field, look for hexagonal crystal tendencies and the signature blue-grey hue and internal fracturing commonly found in quartz-rich pegmatites.
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