AllMineralsRock
Olivine Vs. Quartz
Olivine is a very popular mineral series composed of magnesium iron silicate.[1] Quartz is also a very popular gemstone and its chemical composition is silicon dioxide.[2]
Quick Facts on Differences of Olivine and Quartz
For a quick recap of the differences olivine and quartz:- While both olivine and quartz can be translucent or transparent, quartz can be opaque.
- In terms of crystallography, olivine is orthorhombic while quartz can be hexagonal or trigonal.
- For chemical formulas, olivine can be Mg3(SiO4)(F or OH)2 while quartz is SiO2.
- While both olivine and quartz is vitreous, in terms of luster, quartz can be greasy or waxy.
- Olivine streaks colorless while quartz streaks white.
- While both olivine and quartz can be commonly yellow, olivine is often brown or green and quartz is often red.
- Olivine's specific gravity is higher than quartz - olivine ranges from 3.2 to 3.4 and quartz ranges from 2.651 to 2.91.
Quick Facts on Similarities of Olivine and Quartz
The similarities of olivine and quartz include:- Olivine's rarity is similar to quartz.
Summary of Olivine
Olivine is a common mineral found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is a silicate mineral that is made up of magnesium, iron, and silica. Olivine is usually green in color and has a glassy luster. It is a relatively hard mineral, with a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, making it a popular choice for use in jewelry.Summary of Quartz
Quartz is a mineral that is composed of silicon and oxygen atoms arranged in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra. It is one of the most abundant minerals found in the Earth's crust. Quartz can be found in a variety of colors such as white, pink, purple, brown, gray, and black. It is also known for its unique crystal structure, which is hexagonal in shape, and its hardness, which is 7 on the Mohs scale.Table Comparison of Olivine vs Quartz
| Olivine (src) | Quartz (src) | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | transparent, translucent | transparent, translucent, opaque |
| Chemical Formula | Mg3(SiO4)(F,OH)2 | SiO2 |
| Chemical Composition | magnesium iron silicate | silicon dioxide |
| Specific Gravity | 3.2, 3.4 | 2.651, 2.91 |
| Streak | colorless | white |
| Crystallography | orthorhombic | hexagonal, trigonal |
| Hydrous | No | No |
| Colors | common: green, brown, yellow sometimes: white, colorless less common: gray, orange |
common: red, yellow sometimes: blue, gray, pink, black, brown, green, white, orange, purple, violet, colorless, multicolor |
| Category | nesosilicate | silicate |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.040 | δ = +0.009 (B-G interval) |
| Fracture | conchoidal | conchoidal, uneven |