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I promised I’d be nice to #quartz this year.
It’s a perfectly adequate collection of silicate tetrahedrals. Whoo. Go quartz.
Don’t mind that #serpentine is a pettable green delight named for serpents. Quartz is fine.
It’s a perfectly adequate collection of silicate tetrahedrals. Whoo. Go quartz.
Don’t mind that #serpentine is a pettable green delight named for serpents. Quartz is fine.
My personal preference is that if I’m going to learn about a mineral, I want to be able to identify it when I stumble on it in the wild.
I want the joy of knowing what I have & to be absolutely confident I didn’t get confused. #Serpentine makes ID easy.
But that’s just me.
I want the joy of knowing what I have & to be absolutely confident I didn’t get confused. #Serpentine makes ID easy.
But that’s just me.
Like any good danger noodle, #serpentine requires an ounce of common sense to work with it safely.
Namely, don’t huff or lick chrysotile, but if you do, expect to die ~20 years later if something else doesn’t kill you first.
#Quartz doesn’t require common sense. Yay quartz.
Namely, don’t huff or lick chrysotile, but if you do, expect to die ~20 years later if something else doesn’t kill you first.
#Quartz doesn’t require common sense. Yay quartz.
#Serpentine is happy to substitute in when taste exceeds budget.
Want green marble counters? Jade jewelry? Serpentines will look similar, are easier to work with, & are far cheaper.
#Quartz is totally not being deceptive when marketed as herkimer diamonds.
Want green marble counters? Jade jewelry? Serpentines will look similar, are easier to work with, & are far cheaper.
#Quartz is totally not being deceptive when marketed as herkimer diamonds.
#Serpentine is green (sometimes yellow; rarely white, grey, brown, black, purple) & usually opaque (sometimes translucent). Yellows fluoresce cream.
It feels greasy, waxy, or silky, & are elastic-bendy.
All serpentines are soft (2-5, fingernail to glass) & light (2.5-3.2).
It feels greasy, waxy, or silky, & are elastic-bendy.
All serpentines are soft (2-5, fingernail to glass) & light (2.5-3.2).
#Quartz is... uh, it’s hard but not too hard? And any colour.
If you leave it alone in perfect conditions, it grows as hexagonal pointy crystals.
& if you smash it, it glows.
Um.
It’s plentiful at Earth’s land surface! Statistically, that rock near you is probably quartz.
If you leave it alone in perfect conditions, it grows as hexagonal pointy crystals.
& if you smash it, it glows.
Um.
It’s plentiful at Earth’s land surface! Statistically, that rock near you is probably quartz.
#Serpentine soils are harsh with a lack of key minerals & excess heavy metals. Plants that do well are typically stunted, have grey-green leaves, & are sometimes carnivorous.
Serpentine soils also grow amazing wine. No serpentine? No California or West Australia wines.
Serpentine soils also grow amazing wine. No serpentine? No California or West Australia wines.
#Quartz makes nice sand grains. If you grind a lot of quartz into just the right size grain, beaches will squeak at you when you walk on them.
Friendly Beach, Tasmania squeaks very nicely. It’s cute.
Quartz sand fails as smooth flowing landslides that can be pretty.
Friendly Beach, Tasmania squeaks very nicely. It’s cute.
Quartz sand fails as smooth flowing landslides that can be pretty.
Serpentines are the pettable green minerals you just can’t keep from stroking fondly, while quartz is probably that rock over there near you.
Vote crystal sneks. Vote delicious wine. Vote rocks you can pet (but not lick!). Vote #serpentine!
Go #quartz.
Vote crystal sneks. Vote delicious wine. Vote rocks you can pet (but not lick!). Vote #serpentine!
Go #quartz.
