What is quartz and where is it used? Home Improvement Appliances

October 16th, 2011 by admin

What is quartz and where is it used?

The second most abundant mineral which is available in the Earth’s continental crust, quartz comes second only to feldspar. The basic composition of the mineral is a continuous frame work of SiO4, which is a compound made of Oxygen and Silicon. Several variations of this mineral are found throughout the world and some of them even are considered to be semi-precious gemstones. The word quartz is derived from the German word Quarz which translates to “hard”.

Since the primary composition of quartz is silicon, it is the source of many silicon compounds such as silicon which is used in microelectronics, silicones usually used as high performance polymers and also many other compounds of commercial importance. Thanks to the high abundance, high chemical and thermal stability, quartz is used in many large scale applications related to cements, ceramics, foundry material and abrasives.

Another very popular use of quartz which is catching on in recent times is the application of Quartz work surfaces. Quartz work surfaces are of two types, the engineered stone quartz surfacing which usually has about 5% polymer resins along with 95% of quartz. The resin makes these surfaces more ductile though the hardness of natural quartz is retained in these quartz work surfaces. This ensures that the work surfaces are made impact resistant. These can however have more additives and be custom designed to make sure that you get the perfect consistency for your countertop.

However there are also the natural quartz surfaces which are used to make the counter tops. These are typically comprised entirely of natural quartz which is cut into the required shapes. Since quartz is naturally scratch resistant and non-porous, natural quartz surfacing is also a very viable and cheaper alternative to the engineered quartz work surfaces.

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