Abstract
STRIATIONS perpendicular to the Z-axis frequently occur on prism faces of quartz. They are often attributed to an ‘oscillatory combination’ of the prism and adjacent rhombohedron faces; but although this sometimes undoubtedly occurs (leading to tapered and ‘candle’ crystals), we believe that it is not the correct explanation of striations on well-developed crystals. A study of the surface topography of a number of natural crystals and a few synthetic crystals shows that the striations can be attributed to a difference in the rate of spreading of growth sheets parallel and perpendicular to the Z-axis.
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References
Seager, A. F., Mineralogical Society, March 8, 1951.
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VAN PRAAGH, G., WILLIS, B. Striations on Prism Faces of Quartz. Nature 169, 623–624 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1038/169623b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/169623b0
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