Calcium metasilicate, CaSiO 3, occurs in nature as monoclinic crystals known as tabular spar or wollastonite; it may be prepared artificially from solutions of calcium chloride and sodium silicate.
Aluminium silicates are widely diffused in the mineral kingdom, being present in the commonest rock-forming minerals (felspars, &c.), and in the gem-stones, topaz, beryl, garnet, &c. It also constitutes with sodium silicate the mineral lapis-lazuli and the pigment ultramarine.
It is very refractory, and is applied by mixing with water and some bond, such as sodium silicate or gas-tar.
You might like to try growing sugar crystals, copper sulfate crystals, sodium silicate crystals, potassium permanganate crystals or iodine crystals.
