The term ‘Quartz’ is often referred to as a synonym for silica. Silica (SiO2) is one of the ubiquitous material in the earth’s crust. Quartz, quartz crystals, quartzite, silica sand, sand (others) and moulding sand are all coined together in one generic name ‘silica minerals’. This is because all these commodities are essentially crystalline silicon dioxide (SiO2) with variations mostly related to their crystal sizes or minor or trace impurities.

Chemical Analysis of Quartz