where are the largest crystals found on earth
Cave of the Crystals The main chamber contains giant selenite crystals (gypsum, CaSO4·2 H2O), some of the largest natural crystals ever found.[1] The cave's largest crystal found to date is 12 m (39 ft) in length, 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and 55 tons in weight. The cave is extremely hot, with air temperatures reaching up to 58 °C (136 °F)[2] with 90 to 99 percent humidity. The cave is relatively unexplored due to these factors.[3] Without proper protection, people can only endure approximately ten minutes of exposure at a time.[4]
Quartz Quartz is a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms in a continuous framework of SiO4 siliconâ€“oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical formula of SiO2. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, behind feldspar.[7]