| Variety | Microstructure | “Crystal” size | Total water |
| Quartz | Crystalline | >20 µm | ~0 wt.% |
| Fine-quartz | Granular | 5 - 20 µm | <1 wt.% |
| Chalcedony | Parabolic fiber bundles | <100 µm length | 1 - 2 wt.% |
| Crypto-crystalline | Poorly defined | 1 - 10 wt.% | |