Topaz

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Topaz is a mineral, which means that it has an definite chemical structure. The chemical structure of topaz is 29.61% Aluminum, 15.41% Silicon, .5% Hydrogen, 43.02% Oxygen, and 11.47% Fluorine. It's chemical formula is Al 2 ﻿(F,OH) 2 ﻿﻿SiO 4 ﻿. Topaz is formed by the cooling of magma or lava. Topaz has perfect basal cleavage, but it's fracture is brittle and uneven. One identifier of Topaz is it's white streak. It has a vitreous luster and a density of 3.5-3.6 g/cm 3.

On the Moh's Hardness scale, topaz ranks at an 8.

The two colors that come up in one's mind when topaz are mentioned are either, well, colorless and blue. Topaz comes in many shades of blue, but it also comes in other colors. Topaz can be seen in yellow, orange, violet, red, light green, and pink. Colorless are the most common color to find topaz in naturally and blue is actually very rare. Most blue is actually colorless topaz that has been treated to achieve various shades of it's seemingly characteristic blue. Naturally occurring red topaz is even rarer than naturally occurring blue topaz which studies say accounts for less than .5% of all gem quality topaz mined in the world. Topaz can be found in many places. The most common place, or most thought of place, to find Topaz is in Brazil. It can also be found in Germany, Italy, USA, Mexico, Japan, and Afghanistan. Topaz is not found in Iowa, but can be found in other states, including Maine and Utah. Special Characteristics are various things that can help you identify one mineral from another and can also be utilized in various ways. Some are just fun and interesting, though, like a certain taste associated with a mineral. Topaz has the special characteristic of fluorescence. The color of which the fluorescence is shown depends on the color of the topaz. If the topaz is a yellow/reddish color, then it will be a weak orange-yellow color. If the topaz is a pink color, then it will be a greenish color. If the topaz is a blue color or is colorless, then it will be a weak yellow or green. Topaz is a gemstone. It is mainly used in jewelry, especially as use for a birthstone. It is also common in lost of superstitions in which it is claimed to have mystical properties of protection and health improvement.

The crystal structure of topaz is orthorhombic. This means that the crystals have three mutually perpendicular axises and their sides are mainly of different lengths.

Sources:
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