Quartz/quartzite is a durable mineral characterized by its crystalline structure and composed mainly of silica (silicon dioxide). Its molecular arrangement consists of interconnected SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen atom shared between two tetrahedra, resulting in the chemical formula SiO2. Structurally, it falls under the category of framework silicate minerals and compositionally as an oxide mineral. Quartz/quartzite ranks as the second most prevalent mineral in Earth’s continental crust, following feldspar.
Quartz and quartzite are present in two distinct forms: the regular α-quartz/quartzite and the high-temperature β-quartz/quartzite, both exhibiting chirality. At a precise temperature of 573°C (846 K; 1,063 °F), α-quartz/quartzite undergoes a sudden transformation into β-quartz/quartzite. This transformation, marked by a notable change in volume, has the potential to induce microfracturing in ceramics or rocks as they cross this temperature threshold.