Quartz (Japan Twin)

Quartz (Japan Twin)

We all likely know quartz since it is the most or next to most abundant mineral on Earth.  I really like quartz for an unknown reason.

Quartz can be clear, totally transparent, or depending on the impurities several colors.  These colors are named recognizable gems based on the type of impurity. Amphiaboles, garnet, Amethyst and Smoky quartz to name a few.  I'm going too far afield here.

Quartz (Japan Twin)

Quartz crystals are six sided on the end.  If the ends of two crystals join at one end and close at the other end it is call twinning.  There are several "Laws", of which Japan Twin is one defining the type of twinning.  As you can see from the image at the top, they grow from togetherness and one end to individuality at the other.  The angle is a specific number of degrees as denoted with the red acute angle superimposed over the crystals below.

Quartz (Japan Twin)

I had difficulty finding the crystal.  I didn't really know there was more than one or what it looked like.  I eventually looked it up to help me know for what I was looking.  I looked over the sample carefully and found only the one shown.  The above is a panorama of the full sample.  You can click on it once or twice to see it larger.  Can you find the crystal in question?  The round black mineral below the "twin" is a pointer.  The pointer is at the vertex of the acute red angle (see above)

This sample in from Monte Cristo, Washington.

I have a quartz crystal which is perhaps 1.5 to 2" across.

My question is:  does this crystal represent Twining by any of the Laws, I think there are six.  If any one knows, I would appreciate a message, (leleicher45@gmail.com).  I like my work on this one.

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