Crystal Chemistry, Synthesis and Characterization of Quartz Solid Solutions: A Review

The various high- and low-quartz solid solutions (stuffed derivatives of quartz) synthesized so far are enumerated; their crystal chemistry is discussed in terms of parameters like co-ordination, effective ionic radius and site preference of the candidate cations for such structures. Conditions of synthesis and stability/metastable persistence of these solid solutions are surveyed and their characteristic properties are summarized.