domingo, 3 de julho de 2016

Rutilated quartz

golden threads but no silver needles...
Rutilated quartz is a quartz with large inclusions of the mineral rutile, a titanium-rich material. Rutile forms in quartz as what appears to be glimmering gold and red threads or 'needles' arrayed in patterns inside the stone. Since every pattern of rutiles within the stone is unique, each piece of rutilated quartz is unique.
carved rutilated quartz egg
Until relatively recently, rutilated quartz was considered mainly an ornamental stone (fit for crystals and carving), but its unusual inclusions -- often seen as golden-colored (a phenomenon of refracted light) -- have made it an increasingly popular stone with jewelry designers and the public.
Rutile itself is an interesting and important mineral. A significant source of titanium dioxide, the metal is used for high tech alloys because of its light weight, high strength and resistance to corrosion.

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