Desert Messenger

December 16, 2015 www.DesertMessenger.com 15 BBB offers FREE presentation Dec. 17 Quartz is the second most abun- dant mineral on earth- just behind Feldspar. It is an important part of many rocks. It is found in sedimen- tary rocks such as sandstone and shale, and also in carbon- ate type rocks such as limestone and dolos- tone. It is a common ingredient in schist, gneiss, and other metamorphic rocks, such as our town's namesake, a quartz-rich sandstone cemented through metamorphosis into rock called Quartzite. It is also found in volcanic and hydrothermal formations, including basalts and rhyolite. Quartz forms in many types of geo- logic environments. These include crystallization in magmatic rocks such as granite; precipitation or re- crystallization of sedimentary rock; hydrothermal fl uids rich in silica; the dissolving and reordering of silica rich rocks during metamor- phosis; and as deposits of silica solutions within cavities in existing rocks. It is the sheer diversity of habitat and its resistance to weath- ering that causes quartz to be the second most abundant mineral in the earth's crust. Chemically speaking, quartz is Sili- con Dioxide (SiO2). This means that the metal Silicon combines with two molecules of Oxygen to make quartz crystals. The basic building blocks of a quartz crystal are silica tetrahedra. A tetrahe- dra is composed of four triangular By Jenn Jedidiah Free for RocksInMyHead™ Points about quartz - just to be crystal clear faces, six straight edges, and four corners, and a silica tetrahedra con- sists of a single silicon atom linked to equally spaced oxygen atoms. As tetrahedra link together and build up in layers, a quartz crystal is formed. Except in some rare instanc- es, quartz veins and pockets form deep in the ground at relatively low temperatures ranging from 200 to 600 degrees C (392° – 1112° F), and are later forced to the surface during tectonic, seismic, or volcanic movements. Quartz is the most diverse in terms of varieties, shapes and forms for a single mineral species. It is also one of the most versatile and widely used minerals, with applica- tions ranging from scientifi c and medical value to everyday household use. Quartz is used in technology and manufacturing applications, like building crystal oscillators or frakking for oil, and in electronics like watches, phones, and calcula- tors. But throughout the history of humankind, quartz has also been used for making tools and objects of adornment. Quartz also has the most collectible varieties of any single species. And since none of us is likely to build an oscillator or frak for oil any time soon, we will focus on the decorative and collect- ible varieties of quartz. Collectible and decorative quartz can be of two types: Cryptocrystal- line and macrocrystalline. Simply stated, the difference between the ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ SEE ROCKS ON PAGE 32 Desert Gardens 1055 Kuehn Rd. Friday, Saturday & Sunday (December thru February) Sell 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Sell from your vehicle, a tent or a table - No hook-ups - Approximately 15' x 20' spaces - OK to camp in your space! JUST $55.00 FOR A WEEKEND FREE PARKING SPACES Contact Dennis Kuehl 623-606-0053 Email: dgshowgrounds@gmail.com TRADERS MARKET HAPPY HOLIDAYS! READER'S OASIS BOOKS 690 E. Main - Quartzsite (one block east of Family Dollar) 928-927-6551 Quartzsite - Elaine Cullen, Mohave/LaPaz County Di- rector for the Better Business Bureau, will offer a free presentation in Quartzsite on Thursday, December 17th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Quartzsite Area Cham- ber of Commerce and Tourism offi ce located 1240 W. Main Street. Elaine will discuss services available through BBB, including business reviews, ratings, customer reviews, complaint history and more. She will also discuss active scams in our area and share some of the "red fl ags" to help consumers better recognize scammers whether it be by phone, email or regular mail.

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