Information about and things made of or with Rutilated Quartz

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VARIETY OF: Quartz , SiO 2 , Silicon Dioxide.
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Hexagonal-Rhombohedral
COLOR: Clear to Smoke
USES: Gemstone and ornamental stone.
REFRACTIVE INDEX : 1.544-1.553
HARDNESS: 7
CLASS: tectosilicate
CLEAVAGE: none
FRACTURE: conchoidal
LUSTER: vitreous
STREAK: white
PLEOCHROISM: weak to distinct
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.65
TRANSPARENCY: Good specimens are transparent

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
Rutile or titanium oxide (TiO2) is a mineral that typically forms in long thin needles. Rutilated Quartz is a variety of Quartz Crystal containing impurities of Titanium Dioxide. Most varieties of transparent quartz, are valued most when they lack inclusions. But Rutilated quartz is transparent rock crystal with golden or red needles of rutile trapped inside, that create beautiful diverse patterns. Some have called it Venus’ Hair Stone. It is mostly used as a cabochon in jewelry and sometimes in carvings.

Rutile forms prismatic or needle like crystals (tetragonal system), most commonly red-brown
in color, streak is pale brown, luster is adamantine to metallic, Widespread in small amounts, rutile occurs in intermediate basic igneous rocks as a high-temperature accessory mineral, in gneiss and schist, and in high-temperature veins and pegmatite dikes. Because it is highly resistant to chemical and physical weathering, it is common in placer deposits.

Lesser well known varieties of included Quartz, that form similar to rutilated quartz, are Tourmalited Quartz. Which has black or dark green Tourmaline crystals, Actinolite or Grass Quartz. Which exhibits bright green actinolite crystals, that really look like grass and Dendritic Quartz. Which has brown to black iron dendrites, that appear to be plants or ferns growing inside the stone.

A highly sought after variety of Rutilated Quarts is Star Rutile. Star Rutile forms when Hemitite is present in the quartz. The titanium oxide crystals will radiate from the center of the Hemitite in a star like pattern. The crystal picture on this page is an example of an even more rare smoky Star Rutile.

Rutile is known to cause the stars in ruby and sapphire, and will also form in topaz and tourmaline, Today, the vast majority of Rutilated Quartz is mined in Brazil, but it is found in most of the major gem producing nations.