Research Training Program

Thushara Gunda
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia

Michael Wise, Ph.D.
Supervising Scientist
Department of Mineral Sciences

"The RTP program showed
me the importance of
interdisciplinary research."

Blue Quartz: A beautiful, semiprecious gemstone

The second most common mineral on Earth is one familiar to most people, quartz. Although quartz is chemically simple with a formula of SiO2, it is highly diverse in its forms and colors. Some varieties of quartz are well-known such as amethyst (purple), citrine (yellow), smoky (dark gray) and rose (pink) quartz which are all used in jewelry. A lesser known variety of quartz that is equally intriguing is blue quartz. Blue quartz is rarely reported in the natural world. However, it is not uncommon to find this mineral in certain regions of the United States. The origin of color in some quartz varieties is known (smoky quartz, for example, derives its color from natural radiation); however, the origin of color in blue quartz remains uncertain. Some researchers have hypothesized that the blue color arises from the scattering of light by microscopic needles of the mineral rutile. The clue to the origin of the color may lie in the limited types of rocks in which blue quartz occurs. Previous research suggested that blue quartz could be used as an indicator for continental plate collisions. However, this research revealed that blue quartz is found in granitic rocks that formed at the end of rather than during mountain building processes.

This research was supported by a generous donation from the Honorable Max Berry.