It has been quite a while since I wrote about any of my crystals and stones, with all the posting about barns, coins, silver, and all the other things about which I find to write. So, here again is another crystal from my collection! I have had this one so long, I honestly don't remember exactly when it came to me, but it was sometime between 2001 and 2004, so it has been with me a long while, definitely.

This is quartz crystal. Quartz has the chemical formula SiO₄, being composed of a blend of silicon and oxygen atoms, and is "the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, behind feldspar." ^[4] Yet, crystals this beautiful and so finely-formed are still unique and stunning.

This particular crystal is clear as glass in the top section, near the termination (the name for the "point" at the top) and slowly becomes milky as one looks towards the bottom of the crystal. The white material that comprises the "milk" is silicon that never quite made it into crystalline form by bonding with oxygen, and could be composed of solid particles and perhaps some trapped liquid particles as well.

The lovely golden-brown patch (very prominent in the first photo) is included material of a different type, perhaps some ferrous/iron material that happened to be in the vicinity where the crystal formed and became enclosed within. It adds quite a pretty pairing against the white of the quartz.

I think of this as my "Phoenix Crystal" because the wisps of white inclusions are rising like streaks from the "fire" of the yellowish-brown patch, reminiscent of the legendary Phoenix rising from the ashes in ancient Greek folklore.

On the other side of the crystal from the patch of "fire" is another interesting thing: a long, skinny crystal of another material is completely encased within this quartz crystal! It has a mostly ruddy-brown color, and I am not sure if it is iron or something else. Its appearance within the larger crystal is quite striking, though!

Here is a closer view of the enclosed crystal-within-a-crystal:

In the end, this is a rock. But what a rock! It's amazing to see what Mother Earth cooks in her kitchen, a stew of various minerals, cooked in her kettle at different temperatures, pressures, various conditions... and produces such an amazing array of delicacies for us to enjoy! 😊

This crystal was acquired at a wonderful shop in the Orlando, Florida, area of the US. When I lived in that area (and I hope such is still true), the shop carried a nice selection of crystals and mineral specimens as well as books, music, incense, candles, small statuary, prayer beads, jewelry, clothing, and too many other items to mention! They cater to all things related to spirituality, personal empowerment, and have many mystical and metaphysical offerings. Many of my better mineral specimens and crystals came from there. The place has a very chill-vibe and was a wonderful spot to unwind on Friday evenings after a grueling week in the office. For anyone living in, or visiting, the Orlando area, here is their website: Spiral Circle

😊 **SOURCES** ¹ AmethystGalleries: Milky Quartz ² Geology.com: Quartz ³ Minerals.net: Quartz ⁴ Wikipedia: Quartz

Barbeque & Amethysts • Salt Lamps • Trilobite • Arrowhead
Garden Quartz, freeform • Granite Quarry № 2 • Apophyllite
Rocks from Space! • Quartz Rock: Raw versus Polished
Chrysocolla • Tourmaline • Bornite • Goethite • Small Quartz Crystal
Smoky Quartz • Tibetan Quartz • Amazonite Beads • Zoisite
Rutilated Quartz • Garnet • Amazonite Sphere • Lapis Lazuli Mala
Amethyst Point • How Rocks Get Their Color • Red Jasper
Ring, Ring! Amethyst Calling! • Lapis Lazuli • Turitella Agate

^_07-Nov-2019