Quartz prism with inclusion

Quartz is a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen. It belongs to the silicate group and comes in a wide variety of crystalline forms and colors: amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, faden quartz... Thanks to its hardness, resistance to weathering and great abundance, quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth. Quartz has remarkable physical and chemical properties. It is very hard, chemically inert and has excellent thermal conductivity. Its crystalline structure, characterized by a regular organization of silicon and oxygen atoms, gives it piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties, i.e. the ability to generate an electrical charge in response to mechanical stress or a change in temperature. Due to its hardness and abundance, it is widely used in the construction industry as a component of concrete, mortar, and glass. The piezoelectric properties of quartz make it a material of choice for making oscillators, filters, and sensors used in clocks, computers, and electronic equipment.

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