Quartz has a characteristic conchoidal fracture, yet rock shops often sell quartz as elongate six sided objects with a pointed termination. What causes this shape?
A) You should never buy a crystal like this because it is clearly fake, only artificial crystals grow this way.
B) Quartz usually is amorphous, consistent with its conchoidal fracture, but when it grows it grows against minerals with planar faces, causing this shape.
C) The rock shop cuts them that way with abrasives. The facets are cut to give the crystals more "power" for the crystal people.
D) The planar faces that form the object are crystal faces that grow when the crystals grew into a void.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pointed termination and elongate six sided object shape of quartz sold in rock shops is the result of natural crystal growth. The planar faces of the object are crystal faces that formed when the crystal grew into a void. This shape is not indicative of a fake crystal.

Quartz Has a Characteristic Conchoidal Fracture, Yet Rock Shops Often