Quartz is one of the main rock-forming minerals, generally referred to as low-temperature quartz (α-quartz), which is the most widely distributed mineral in the quartz group of minerals. Quartz in a broad sense also includes high-temperature quartz (β-quartz) and coesite. The main component is SiO2, which is colorless and transparent, often contains a small amount of impurity components, and turns into a translucent or opaque crystal with a hard texture.
Quartz is a mineral resource with very stable physical and chemical properties. The crystal belongs to the oxide mineral of the trigonal crystal system. Quartz block, also known as silica, is mainly the raw material for the production of quartz sand (also known as silica sand), as well as the raw material for quartz refractory materials and firing ferrosilicon.
Quartz is a mineral composed of silicon dioxide, chemical formula SiO2. Pure quartz is colorless and transparent. Due to the presence of trace pigment ions or finely dispersed inclusions, or the presence of color centers, it exhibits various colors and reduces transparency. With glass luster, the fracture is oily luster. Hardness 7, no cleavage, conchoidal fracture. The specific gravity is 2.65. With piezoelectricity.
Colorless and transparent quartz, the Greeks called it "Krystallos", meaning "white ice", and they believed that quartz was durable and strong ice. Ancient Chinese believed that holding cold crystals in the mouth could quench thirst.
On October 27, 2017, the list of carcinogens released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization was initially compiled for reference. Crystalline silica dust in the form of quartz or cristobalite is included in the list of carcinogens.