Top Five Facts – Crystals

1. Colour – A crystal’s colour will depend on the different minerals used to create it and the how the atoms within it absorb light. For example, amethyst get its hue from iron.

2. Everyday – Despite what most people think, ‘crystals’ are found all around us. As well as precious jewels, mundane materials such as salt are formed through crystallisation.

3. Quartz – Quartz is a crystal made of silica and oxygen and is one of the most common minerals on Earth. It has been used in objects like computers, watches and radios.

4. Classification – As well as being categorised by shape, crystals can be segmented based on their physical and chemical makeup into four types: covalent, metallic, molecular and ionic.

5. DIY rock candy crystals – Stir three cups of sugar into one cup of boiling water and stir till dissolved. Pour into a jar and dangle a wooden skewer into the mixture. Leave for a few days then eat.