Basic Crystal Science

Cavansite

Our earth is 85% crystal. Its crust is largely silicon and oxygen, combined with six other common elements-aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. From this chemical casserole comes, Varity of crystal colours, shapes, sizes, and hardness. Earth is also the ultimate recycler-changing limestone to marble, or share to garnet schist. Cocktail of ingredients form crystals under specific conditions of temperature, pressure, space, and time; yet when the conditions change the crystals may also be altered.

Brazilianite

The reason why diamonds are found at only a few locations worldwide is because the exact conditions required for their formation are relatively rare. The high value we place on such gemstones is then heightened by the fact that large perfect crystals are relatively scarce because of the complex and ever-changing circumstances taking place in nature. 

Despite the fast abundance of minerals lying buried on the planet, human beings still need to synthesize crystals in the laboratory in order to meet the precise criteria for their technological needs. 
The largest variety of crystals, particularly those we value most-diamonds, rubies, sapphire-derive from molten rock, or magma. Magma is produced with the intense heat in the earth's core melts rocks in the upper mantle, or crust. As this molten soup of atoms cools and solidifies, it forms symmetrical, three-dimensional crystals.
Magma, which cools rapidly, may have insufficient time to form crystals and instead turns into amorphous material such as obsidian, a natural glass. Where the chemical composition is particularly complicated crypto-crystalline material may also be produced.
As magma cools, the first crystals to form are those that have the highest melting points and relatively simple chemical compositions. Gradually, different minerals form until only the more complex atoms are left. As this increase in concentration and the magma continues to cool, more elaborate crystals are produced.
Magma that reaches the surface of the earth as lava cools very quickly and produces amorphous material or rocks comprising of tiny crystals. These are extrusive, volcanic rocks the best know is basalt.
Magma held under solidifies more slowly into coarse grained rocks with larger, visible crystals. These are intrusive or plutonic rocks -granite, the most common example is composed mainly of quartz, feldspar and mica. 
Some of the finest examples of crystals, such as quartz, are formed form chemicals that have been dissolved in solutions within rock cavities. Here they have both space and time to grow.
Water dissolves some minerals into their component ions to produce a solution. Given the right conditions of time, temperature and ingredients, the solution becomes over saturated and precipitation of crystals takes place. The slower the precipitation, the bigger and better formed the resulting crystals will be. Stalagmites are examples.
Crystals produced from an aqueous solution either grows out from the centre or from the surface inwards. Agate, a variety of quartz, can form when silica-rich waters seep into cavities created by gas bubbles that become trapped in cooing magma. The silica is deposited in layers from the outside which gradually grow towards the centre. Agate that is not completely filled often has quartz crystals growing in this hollow space.

Crystal and Electricity

Certain crystals, most notably the quartz family, can convert mechanical pressure into electrical energy-the stylus on a record player is a good example of this. They can also convert electrical energy into precise mechanical vibrations, as in earphones and ultrasonic radiators. This is known as the piezoelectric effect. When pressure is applied to quartz crystals, the crystal lattice becomes temporarily deformed. The positive silicon ions move to one side of the crystal, while the negative oxygen ions move to the other side. This results in the opposite faces developing different and powerful electrical charges. However, this is not the same as generating an electric current. Non Metallic minerals do not conduct electricity. The relatively rigid structures of most of them allow their component atoms very little room for manoeuvre. As a result, they do not have the loose electrons needed to conduct an electric current. 
While natural quartz is abundant it is rarely perfect, rendering it unsuitable of industrial use. Piezoelectric crystals are therefore produce synthetically in the laboratory. They have exactly the same atomic structure and properties as their natural counter parts but are designed to meet very precise criteria. They are a valuable property commercially and have been extensively used since first discovered during the First World War. , they were first used to produce underwater acoustic waves as the first sonar detector. 
Thin slices of quartz crystals are used in watches and other types of products that we wear or use, such as computers and radios. 

CRYSTAL INSIGHT

We have just explored the historical and scientific relevance of crystals, but we now take a leap into territory which science is currently at a loss to explain - how crystals can play a part in healing. Because of their inherent neatness, crystals are a metaphor for perfect order and balance. They represent the equilibrium we seek to achieve in our lives and which results in good health. The combination of perfect form and energy are the processes through which crystals encourage our bodies to come into balance and why they are such powerful tools for self-healing. 
However, the principles that underpin the use of crystals for healing purposes are quite different from those utilized by technology. While industry synthesizes crystals for its particular needs. Crystal healers use stones formed by nature in order to enjoy a tangible connections with the Earth and to tap into the energies of the mineral kingdom.
Whereas technologically crystalline material receives and transmits a form of electrical energy, it is scientifically immeasurable "subtle energies" which crystals channel and amplify through the body in order to bring about healing in many forms.

Many crystal healers believe that choosing a crystal is largely intuitive the crystal you acquire is the one you are meant to have. However, you can save yourself time and expense by thinking about why you want a crystal and what kind you prefer. Those open questions are designed to help you focus on your choice. There are no rights or wrongs...