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cristobalite
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Figure 15: Melting relations among minerals in the system SiO2 (quartz)–KAlSiO4 (kalsilite)–Mg2SiO4 (forsterite). Temperatures next to compositions refer to the melting points of those compositions in °C. Protoenstatite, instead of enstatite, is produced in experiments of this type. The compositions of protoenstatite and enstatite are identical, but their structures differ.
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cristobalite

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cristobalite, the stable form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2) between its melting point of 1,728° C (3,142° F) and 1,470° C (2,678° F), below which tridymite is the stable form. Cristobalite has two modifications: low-cristobalite, which occurs naturally up to 268° C (514° F) but is not stable; and high-cristobalite, which occurs above 268° C but is only stable above 1,470° C. Natural low-cristobalite usually occurs in sub-microcrystalline masses (see opal) or fibrous to columnar spherulites (see lussatite) in igneous rocks. Cristobalite has the same chemical composition as coesite, stishovite, quartz, and tridymite but has a different crystal structure. For detailed physical properties, see silica mineral (table).

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.