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Geology definitions

can anyone tell me the difference between percentage of quartz and the percentage of silica please? thanks
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alex p
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Quartz is a mineral. It is a basic component of many rocks.

Silica is an element, it is the basic component of many minerals.

So if you were looking at the chemistry of a rock the percentage of quartz and silica is likely to be different as rocks are made of many different minerals.

For example, granite has over 20% quartz in its composition, but over 60% silica, because in a granite with low quartz content the replacement minerals still contain alot of silica.

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