The Mineral Museum on the campus of Montana Tech in Butte includes a display of quartz. Quartz is a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is the second most abundant mineral on earth. There are many different varieties of quartz, some of which are semi-precious gemstones.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum exhibits. More about minerals, gems, and other geological wonders from this series:
Museums 101: Gems and Minerals as Art (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: California Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Hixon Gem Vault (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: South American Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Mineral Museum: Tsumeb, Namibia (Photo Diary)
Mineral Museum: Copper Minerals (photo diary)
Mineral Museum: Montana Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Thunder Eggs (Photo Diary)