Quartz is a mineral, while marble and granite are rocks. A mineral is a crystalline object that has the same chemical makeup in all its parts. In quartz’ case, it is made of silicon dioxide. It is the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust.

Pure quartz is clear, but impurities lend this mineral a nearly endless variety of colors. The highest quality quartz is used in sculpture or even in jewelry.

Quartz is the main ingredient in the engineered stone use to make countertops and backsplashes. Powdered quartz is mixed with a resin and then formed into slabs.

Because of this, engineered quartz stone doesn’t need to be sealed, as does porous granite or marble. It resists scratches, can tolerate hot pots and pans and is resistant to etching by such acidic liquids as citrus juice or wine.