Crystal Information
Geologists say that Arkansas and Brazil have the best quality quartz in the world. Arkansas has an expansive history involving quartz crystal. A quartz arrowhead that is estimated to be over 11,000 years old was discovered at the Mount Blakely Dam site in Garland County. Before AD 1000, the Plum Bayou people built the Toltec Mounds in the Arkansas River Valley. They made arrowheads, scrapers, and knives out of clear quartz. The quartz was more difficult to work with than other available stones and may have served a ritual purpose. In 1541, Spanish explorers led by Hernando de Soto found that the Indians in the region that is now Arkansas were making arrowheads out of quartz crystal. The Hunter-Dunbar journals (circa 1804) make reference to quartz crystals and other minerals from the Little Missouri River valley in what was certainly the
Ouachita Mountains. In 1819, Hendry Rowe Schoolcraft, the
naturalist and explorer wrote, “One of the most noted localities of this mineral west of the Mississippi River is the Hot Springs of Ouachita in Arkansaw Territory. At this place numerous pieces of quartz have been found, very pure and transparent, and beautifully crystallized….”
To many in the gemstone industry, Arkansas and rock crystal quartz are synonymous. The towns of Mount Ida, Hot Springs, and Jessieville equate to quartz crystals to many people, but in fact, they are towns or places in the Arkansas quartz belt. Not only is Arkansas the major producer of gemstone and decorative rock crystal, but it is the only producer of "lascas” the feed material used to make synthetic quartz.
The rock crystals in our area are produced from quartz veins in sandstones and shales of the central part of the Ouachita Mountains. The quartz belt is about 240 kilometers long and 24 kilometers wide, extending southwest from near Little Rock all the way to northern Oklahoma. The crystals are beautifully formed with lustrous faces, and many have water clear, colorless terminations. Commonly, they are milky in appearance because of inclusions.
It is known that there are vast iron ore deposits within the sub-strata of the planet and the iron particles line up north-south whenever they are free to move (when they are molten, for example), attracted as they are to magnetic North and South Poles. They become magnetized in a similar manner to the iron rod within the coil. These magnetized deposits subsequently influence the growth patterns of all minerals within their vicinity, particularly quartz crystals. Where such energies are present during the 'seeding time' of rock quartz- that initial period when the boiling geothermal waters, laden with liquefied silicon dioxide, pour through ancient volcanic gas chambers, or flood the fissures deep beneath the Earth's surface - they are absorbed within the structure of the slowly forming crystals.
The closer such crystal formations lie to the magnetic core of the planet, the greater their magnetic field. All quartz mined in areas such as Arkansas in the United States - a region which is extremely close to that core - emit powerful electromagnetic energies, and this area currently provide the purest quartz crystals known to mankind. Much of the output mined in this region is used by the electrical industry to improve our current lifestyle. (E. Harold; reference 2). Because crystal can maintain and control the electrical energy Mother Nature built into the crystal, industry finds it useful in a number of electronic applications. From an industrial standpoint, it could be said that we are in a crystal age.
Quartz is composed of silicon and oxygen and is common throughout the world, although most of it is not crystallized. Crystallization occurs when the silicon dioxide or silica is heated. The source of the heat can be extremely hot water from underground sources, which fills open fissures to create filled quartz veins. In Arkansas, this reaction is estimated to have occurred during the last part of the formation of the Ouachita Mountains, about 280 to 245 million years ago. During the cooling, the silicon and the oxygen recombined as molecules formed by one silicon atom and four oxygen atoms. All of the crystals have six sides or prism faces because of their molecular structure. Quartz is rated seven on the Mohs hardness scale; diamonds are rated ten. Some quartz exists in sand form.
Milky Quartz
This is any quartz crystal or cluster that is white in color and cloudy. The cloudy white character of the crystals is what lead to the variety name, milky. The cloudiness of milky quartz comes from microscopic inclusions of fluids that have been encased in the crystal from the time the crystal first grew. From a cynical point of view the inclusions have ruined the crystal from being used for the many purposes that quartz crystals are tasked to do (e.g. gemstones or optic purposes). However, milky quartz is used in many fine ornamental carvings and the fluid inclusions can give milky quartz a attractive greasy luster unlike the other varieties of quartz.
Grounding / Mules Foot
A Grounding Face has 8 sides and it is pretty uncommon. Local miners sometimes call these "mules feet" because we are hillbillys and because the faces are usually wide and large like a mules foot ; )
Isis
A Isis is a 5 Sided face that has perfect or near perfect symmetry
DT / Double Terminated
This is a crystal point that has terminated faces on both ends. In simple terms.......it has a point on both ends
These are not to be confused with floaters
Floater
A Floater is a point that naturally broke off of the matrix and continued to grow away from the matrix. It is Terminated all around but it does not have two actual points like a DT. These will have Re-Healing in some areas where they came free from the matrix.
Entire crystal clusters may even be floaters. The bottom side of the cluster will be covered in Elestial Re-healings.
Record Keeper / Recorder
A Record Keeper is a crystal that has raised triangular markings on the surface of its main faces.
These may be highly raised and easy to see. Some times they may be only slightly raised, to see them you must reflect light off of the face to reval the markings.
Growth Lines/Rings
A crystal forms layer on top of layer. This sometimes leaves raised lines around the crystals sides of the crystals shaft
Internal Rainbows
Rainbow reflections inside of a quartz crystal can be caused by many things.
Internal fractures can cause prismatic rainbows
Two points that are in contact with one another can cause rainbows
Penetrators, Manifestations, and inclusions can all also cause rainbow reflections within a quartz crystal
Penetrator
A penetrator is a terminated quartz crystal point that is penetrating into a larger crystal.
It is only considered a penetrator if the crystal can actually be seen within the larger quartz
These are not common!
Inclusion
A inclusion is when another mineral gets trapped inside of a quartz crystal. Many different minerals can be included inside of Arkansas Quartz
Phantom
A phantom is a type of inclusion but there is one key difference
Phantom inclusions form a internal mimic of the quartz point itself. During growth the minerals flow over the quartz faces. When another layer of quartz grows the minerals are get trapped in the quartz, leaving a outline of the previous terminations
Manifestation / Manifest / Inner Child
This is another type of inclusion and it is considered the most rare of all.
When a well formed quartz crystal gets trapped within another quartz crystal it is called a manifestation.
The included crystal must be completely enclosed for it to be considered a manifest
Bent / Curved Points
These happen when a crystal is naturally broken and then re-heals itself back together in a bent shape
Very uncommon
Golden Healer
A golden healer is a quartz crystal with a permanent golden/yellow color. Even if acid washed the color will remain
These are rarely found here in Arkansas but when we do find them......they are the best in the world
Tangerine
A tangerine crystal has a nice dark coating of orange iron oxide, totally natural
Re-healed / Self Healed
If a crystal gets broken during formation it may re-heal the damaged areas with tiny terminated faces
This is not considered damage since it happened naturally
Tabby / Tabular
If a crystal is twice as wide as it is thick then it is a Tabby.
Tabby points are generally flat and thin. Tabby crystals are often Twinned, Castled, and some contain Fadens
Tabby Chain
This is when several tabby points form together connecting at the sides.
Twin
A twin is when a single crystal point splits off and forms two or more seperate points at the tip
Castle
A castle is a form of twin with many points and extra facets on the tip. Many of the faces will reflect light at the same angle, giving the appearance of a castle
Faden
A faden is a white inclusion that is mostly found in Tabby points.
The lines can differ greatly in form. From perfectly strait, wavey ropes, flat and wide.
Cluster
A cluster is group of points that have formed together.
Burr
A burr is a crystal cluster that has points on all sides
These are highly sought after
Laser
A laser is a quartz point that tapers from large at the base to small at the tip.
Smokey Quartz
Smokey quartz is not all that common in Arkansas . Natural pieces of Smokey quartz have been exposed to radiation produced deep within the earth.
To many in the gemstone industry, Arkansas and rock crystal quartz are synonymous. The towns of Mount Ida, Hot Springs, and Jessieville equate to quartz crystals to many people, but in fact, they are towns or places in the Arkansas quartz belt. Not only is Arkansas the major producer of gemstone and decorative rock crystal, but it is the only producer of "lascas” the feed material used to make synthetic quartz.
The rock crystals in our area are produced from quartz veins in sandstones and shales of the central part of the Ouachita Mountains. The quartz belt is about 240 kilometers long and 24 kilometers wide, extending southwest from near Little Rock all the way to northern Oklahoma. The crystals are beautifully formed with lustrous faces, and many have water clear, colorless terminations. Commonly, they are milky in appearance because of inclusions.
It is known that there are vast iron ore deposits within the sub-strata of the planet and the iron particles line up north-south whenever they are free to move (when they are molten, for example), attracted as they are to magnetic North and South Poles. They become magnetized in a similar manner to the iron rod within the coil. These magnetized deposits subsequently influence the growth patterns of all minerals within their vicinity, particularly quartz crystals. Where such energies are present during the 'seeding time' of rock quartz- that initial period when the boiling geothermal waters, laden with liquefied silicon dioxide, pour through ancient volcanic gas chambers, or flood the fissures deep beneath the Earth's surface - they are absorbed within the structure of the slowly forming crystals.
The closer such crystal formations lie to the magnetic core of the planet, the greater their magnetic field. All quartz mined in areas such as Arkansas in the United States - a region which is extremely close to that core - emit powerful electromagnetic energies, and this area currently provide the purest quartz crystals known to mankind. Much of the output mined in this region is used by the electrical industry to improve our current lifestyle. (E. Harold; reference 2). Because crystal can maintain and control the electrical energy Mother Nature built into the crystal, industry finds it useful in a number of electronic applications. From an industrial standpoint, it could be said that we are in a crystal age.
Quartz is composed of silicon and oxygen and is common throughout the world, although most of it is not crystallized. Crystallization occurs when the silicon dioxide or silica is heated. The source of the heat can be extremely hot water from underground sources, which fills open fissures to create filled quartz veins. In Arkansas, this reaction is estimated to have occurred during the last part of the formation of the Ouachita Mountains, about 280 to 245 million years ago. During the cooling, the silicon and the oxygen recombined as molecules formed by one silicon atom and four oxygen atoms. All of the crystals have six sides or prism faces because of their molecular structure. Quartz is rated seven on the Mohs hardness scale; diamonds are rated ten. Some quartz exists in sand form.
Milky Quartz
This is any quartz crystal or cluster that is white in color and cloudy. The cloudy white character of the crystals is what lead to the variety name, milky. The cloudiness of milky quartz comes from microscopic inclusions of fluids that have been encased in the crystal from the time the crystal first grew. From a cynical point of view the inclusions have ruined the crystal from being used for the many purposes that quartz crystals are tasked to do (e.g. gemstones or optic purposes). However, milky quartz is used in many fine ornamental carvings and the fluid inclusions can give milky quartz a attractive greasy luster unlike the other varieties of quartz.
Grounding / Mules Foot
A Grounding Face has 8 sides and it is pretty uncommon. Local miners sometimes call these "mules feet" because we are hillbillys and because the faces are usually wide and large like a mules foot ; )
Isis
A Isis is a 5 Sided face that has perfect or near perfect symmetry
DT / Double Terminated
This is a crystal point that has terminated faces on both ends. In simple terms.......it has a point on both ends
These are not to be confused with floaters
Floater
A Floater is a point that naturally broke off of the matrix and continued to grow away from the matrix. It is Terminated all around but it does not have two actual points like a DT. These will have Re-Healing in some areas where they came free from the matrix.
Entire crystal clusters may even be floaters. The bottom side of the cluster will be covered in Elestial Re-healings.
Record Keeper / Recorder
A Record Keeper is a crystal that has raised triangular markings on the surface of its main faces.
These may be highly raised and easy to see. Some times they may be only slightly raised, to see them you must reflect light off of the face to reval the markings.
Growth Lines/Rings
A crystal forms layer on top of layer. This sometimes leaves raised lines around the crystals sides of the crystals shaft
Internal Rainbows
Rainbow reflections inside of a quartz crystal can be caused by many things.
Internal fractures can cause prismatic rainbows
Two points that are in contact with one another can cause rainbows
Penetrators, Manifestations, and inclusions can all also cause rainbow reflections within a quartz crystal
Penetrator
A penetrator is a terminated quartz crystal point that is penetrating into a larger crystal.
It is only considered a penetrator if the crystal can actually be seen within the larger quartz
These are not common!
Inclusion
A inclusion is when another mineral gets trapped inside of a quartz crystal. Many different minerals can be included inside of Arkansas Quartz
Phantom
A phantom is a type of inclusion but there is one key difference
Phantom inclusions form a internal mimic of the quartz point itself. During growth the minerals flow over the quartz faces. When another layer of quartz grows the minerals are get trapped in the quartz, leaving a outline of the previous terminations
Manifestation / Manifest / Inner Child
This is another type of inclusion and it is considered the most rare of all.
When a well formed quartz crystal gets trapped within another quartz crystal it is called a manifestation.
The included crystal must be completely enclosed for it to be considered a manifest
Bent / Curved Points
These happen when a crystal is naturally broken and then re-heals itself back together in a bent shape
Very uncommon
Golden Healer
A golden healer is a quartz crystal with a permanent golden/yellow color. Even if acid washed the color will remain
These are rarely found here in Arkansas but when we do find them......they are the best in the world
Tangerine
A tangerine crystal has a nice dark coating of orange iron oxide, totally natural
Re-healed / Self Healed
If a crystal gets broken during formation it may re-heal the damaged areas with tiny terminated faces
This is not considered damage since it happened naturally
Tabby / Tabular
If a crystal is twice as wide as it is thick then it is a Tabby.
Tabby points are generally flat and thin. Tabby crystals are often Twinned, Castled, and some contain Fadens
Tabby Chain
This is when several tabby points form together connecting at the sides.
Twin
A twin is when a single crystal point splits off and forms two or more seperate points at the tip
Castle
A castle is a form of twin with many points and extra facets on the tip. Many of the faces will reflect light at the same angle, giving the appearance of a castle
Faden
A faden is a white inclusion that is mostly found in Tabby points.
The lines can differ greatly in form. From perfectly strait, wavey ropes, flat and wide.
Cluster
A cluster is group of points that have formed together.
Burr
A burr is a crystal cluster that has points on all sides
These are highly sought after
Laser
A laser is a quartz point that tapers from large at the base to small at the tip.
Smokey Quartz
Smokey quartz is not all that common in Arkansas . Natural pieces of Smokey quartz have been exposed to radiation produced deep within the earth.
