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Quartz

Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

Quartz is a hard, transparent, white, or colored mineral with chemical formula SiO2 (trigonal crystal system) and the hardness 7 in the Mohs hardness scale. It is an essential component of felsic intrusive (granitoid) or volcanic (rhyolite) rocks and their metamorphic equivalents. Because of its hardness, common occurrence in the protoliths, and lack of cleavage, it is highly resistant to weathering, erosion, and transport. It is therefore the most common mineral grain in sediments and sedimentary rocks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maison des Géosciences, LGCA, Université J. Fourier, 1381, rue de la Piscine, 38400, St-Martin d’Hères, France

    Nicholas Arndt

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  1. Nicholas Arndt
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Correspondence to Nicholas Arndt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Arndt, N. (2014). Quartz. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1324-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1324-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Living Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Quartz
    Published:
    17 January 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1324-4

  2. Original

    Quartz
    Published:
    20 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1324-3