Spirit quartz, also sold as cactus quartz, is ordinary quartz, usually purple, yellow or white, with a crust of tiny crystals over larger ones. Orange and yellow pieces are often iron-stained, and some sellers say they were heated. We do not carry it.
Oxide (quartz) · Quartz
Spirit Quartz
Cuarzo espíritu
- Palette
- Purple Yellow Orange White
- Mined in
- South Africa
- Hardness
- Mohs 7.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- trade name using the word 'spirit' (Latin spiritus, breath); no page found says why it was chosen
- Also sold as
- cactus quartz, cactus amethyst, pineapple quartz
- Intention
- Abundance Calm
- Looking for
- Goals and motivation Peace
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Spirit quartz is usually sold natural. Pieces with a very bright purple coating can be coated or dyed.
Not in our pieces now
39,900 KILOGRAMS
The largest quartz crystal on record, found near Itapore in Brazil, was about 6 meters long and weighed over 39,900 kilograms.
12%
Quartz makes up about 12 percent of Earth's lithosphere by mass, second only to feldspar among minerals.
What it is
A larger quartz point, usually amethyst purple, yellow or white, crusted with a second growth of tiny crystals that point every which way. Orange and yellow pieces often get their color from iron staining on the crystals, and some sellers say the color was changed by heating, so ask.
What gives it its color
Purple spirit quartz is amethyst, colored by a trace of iron and natural radiation in the ground; the orange and yellow pieces get their color from iron minerals.
Where it comes from
Spirit (cactus) quartz is known from the Magaliesberg Mountains region of South Africa.
In history
Spirit quartz is a trade name for clustered quartz crystal, so its history is quartz's. Renaissance Milan was a major center for cutting rock crystal in the 1500s, and in 1927 Warren Marrison built the first quartz clock, using the electric property the Curie brothers found in quartz in 1880.
What's said about it
In crystal lore today, spirit quartz is a stone for setting an intention. People put a cluster in the middle of a crystal grid with a small written wish tucked underneath.
Other sources link it with peace of mind and feeling at ease with yourself. It is a South African stone usually kept on a shelf or in a grid, not worn.
How people wear or keep it: In the center of a crystal grid, on a shelf or desk, or on a small written note.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, spirit quartz is paired with the sacral and solar plexus and third eye and crown chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: in the center of a crystal grid, on a shelf or desk, on a small written note. People reach for it when they want goals and motivation, peace, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraSacral, Solar Plexus, Third Eye, Crown
ZodiacAquarius, Libra, Pisces
ElementEarth
Also calledcactus quartz, cactus amethyst, pineapple quartz
Care
- The quartz itself is hard, about Mohs 7, but the tiny crystals on the surface are delicate and can rub off, so handle a cluster by its base.
- Orange and yellow coatings can be iron staining that may flake, so skip ultrasonic cleaners, steam and soaking.
- Dust with a soft dry brush and wipe lightly with a barely damp cloth if needed.
- Keep it in its own padded box so the crust does not scratch other stones.
How to tell what you have
- Sold as spirit or cactus quartz, a piece may be a natural quartz crystal covered in many tiny quartz points, amethyst-coated, or iron-stained.
- Look out for dyed or coated bright color that rubs or pools in the gaps. Natural color is uneven and the points are real small crystals.
Rules and sourcing
Spirit quartz pieces with a very bright purple coating can be coated or dyed. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose a coating or dye.
Questions people ask at our table
What is spirit quartz?
It is plain quartz with a second generation of small crystals growing over the faces of bigger ones. The small crystals point in unrelated directions, which gives the cluster its spiky, cactus-like look.
Is the orange color natural or heated?
The orange and yellow often come from iron minerals coating the crystals, though some sellers say heating changed the color. We have not found a study that settles it, so weigh a vendor's claim carefully.
Where does it come from?
South Africa, usually named as the Magaliesberg area, though some dealers place it in Mpumalanga. It is almost always sold as a mineral specimen or small cluster.
How should I clean a cluster?
Use a soft dry brush and keep it out of water. The surface crystals are small and can break off, and iron coatings may flake if soaked.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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