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cristobalite properties

Silica is one of the most versatile minerals in nature, because it can exist as a variety of different crystalline forms called polymorphs. These include a-quartz, b-quartz, b-tridymite, and cristobalite. These crystalline forms vary significantly in their physical properties.

The crystalline form that is most stable in nature is quartz, but the polymorphs of silica can be much more stable at low temperature and at high pressure. Tridymite and cristobalite are low-pressure polymorphs that form stably at temperatures above 870 degC (tridymite) and 1470 degC (cristobalite).

They also are metastable in some environments, but they must be heated to a certain temperature before the bonds can be broken and the material can transform to the quartz structure. This is a very slow process and it takes thousands of years for cristobalite to convert to the quartz structure.

This is why cristobalite occurs in many opals, but it is rare as an individual mineral. It forms during the diagenesis of biogenic sediments rich in opal-A and opal-C that are mainly composed of cristobalite spheres.

Cristobalite can be used in the manufacture of sputtering targets and for chemical vapor deposition applications. It is very useful in applications that require large amounts of surface area, such as water treatment and solar and fuel cell applications.

Canadians may be exposed to cristobalite and quartz through particulate matter containing these materials in the air as a result of natural wind erosion and human activities such as agriculture, construction operations and vehicle traffic. This is why the government of Canada conducted a screening assessment that addressed potential risks to the general population and the environment.