What hinders the growth of single, large crystals?
1 Answer
Feb 15, 2016
Key factors include: rate of cooling, source of key chemicals to keep the crystal growing and physical space.
Explanation:
Rapid cooling, as for example in dark basalts, tend to produce very small or microscopic crystals. Slower cooling in granites produce larger crystals, so long as the mineral elements are still in abundance. Crystals in geodes can grow quite large (inches or cm) as they ofter grow into a small cavity or hollow. Some crystals from a secret cave in Mexico have grown to many 10's of feet, as they have abundant elements to "feed" the crystal, they grow slowly and have lots of room to grow.
See: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/crystal-giants/shea-text
