Today we’re going to talk about Growth Interference which is a condition in which a crystal changes shapes as it grows due to the presence of another mineral which acts as an obstruction. These shapes might be squares and triangles, and more often than not, it looks like a buzz saw was taken to the crystal. Sometimes there is a little bit of mineral left in part of the crevasses.
Here are some crystals with the buzz-saw type of Growth Interference:
And here’s a picture of the mineral still present in the buzz-saw shapes:
Some Growth Interference presents in square shapes and not in the typical buzz-saw fashion. Following are some examples of the square-shaped Growth Interference:

wow! Growth Interference
To visualize how this square-shaped Growth Interference occurs, imagine taking a piece of clay and a Lego, (“let go of my leggo!” wait… what??) the clay represents the crystal and the Lego represents the other mineral. To begin, stick the Legos all over the clay (crystal) and leave them there. Imagine that you have expanding clay (crystal) and as it grows, it simply forms itself around the Lego (mineral). Eventually, the Lego disintegrates, melts or falls out on its own accord over time due to changing temperatures or other variations in circumstance. The clay (crystal) is left with characteristic indentations left by the mineral, and that is called Growth Interference. In the case of the “buzz-saw” type, the mineral grows in a different shape, but the premise is the same.

Growth Interference with large shaped squares on the base of a cluster
The photo on the left has large, very deep squares, the one above has smaller squares. Sometimes it appears on the side of a point (above) but they also might occur on the base, on a cluster, (left).
Growth Interference is similar to Keys and Imprints. We haven’t yet covered Keys or Imprints (that’s next week), but the difference between them and Growth Interference is that in Growth interference there used to be another mineral in those spaces and in Keys or Imprints it was another crystal. Because of this, I think of Growth Interference representing how we can adapt and grow around a certain situation, and then if the situation no longer serves, it leaves, but not without leaving a mark. Since the Growth Interference is caused by non-crystal shapes, I apply that to things which alter us which aren’t so much due to human interactions (as in relationships), but more like illnesses, accidents, or non-relationship interference. The word “interference” by its usual definition implies something unwanted or “bad”, which really isn’t accurate. Try to think of “interference” as “something which alters”, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad occurrence.
To work with a Growth Interference crystal, one might meditate on the situations which caused interference during ones growth, realizing that the situation probably did change us (as the shape of the crystal is changed during its growth) but that we are still inherently beautiful and worthy of love and that ultimately, we are still in one piece. Oftentimes, as in the Growth Interference crystals, we are left with very interesting shapes and spaces which add depth and character.
Today we learned that
- Growth Interference may occur in buzz-saw shapes or triangles or squares
- An interruption in the crystal structure occurs due to the presence of another mineral during the growth of that crystal.
- Growth Interference represents how we can adapt and grow around a certain situation and then when the situation no longer serves, it leaves, but not without leaving a mark.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this discussion of Growth Interference crystals. next week we’ll talk about Imprints and Keys.
Here is a recap of the past posts featuring the metaphysical configurations and links to where you might find these various crystal configurations if you decided you might like to work with them:
GROWTH INTERFERENCE (A Lesson in Adaptation) purchase GROWTH INTERFERENCE
GOLDEN HEALERS (for healing applications) purchase GOLDEN HEALER read blog post
GENERATOR or MERLIN CRYSTALS (For precise, direct, focused energy) purchase GENERATOR or MERLIN read blog post
FEMININE, MASCULINE & YIN/YANG CRYSTALS (An anatomy lesson) purchase FEMININE purchase MASCULINE purchase YIN/YANG read blog post
FAIRY FROST & MIRROR FRACTURES (To connect us to Nature Spirits and to care for Mother Earth) purchase FAIRY FROST crystal read blog post
FADEN CRYSTALS (For astral travel or connecting) purchase FADEN crystal read blog post
E.T. CRYSTALS (Access otherworldly beings or boost distant healing) purchase E.T. crystal read blog post
ETCHED CRYSTALS and SACRED SIGILS (Surface features with special energies.) purchase ETCHED crystal purchase SIGIL crystal read blog post
EMPATHIC CRYSTALS (To bring out and amplify compassionate feelings.) purchase EMPATHIC crystal read blog post
ELESTIAL or ELESTIATED CRYSTAL (To connect with angelic energies.) purchase ELESTIAL crystal read blog post
EIGHT-SIDED FACE / GROUNDING CRYSTALS (Any time you need to refocus and ground.) purchase EIGHT-SIDED FACE or GROUNDING crystal read blog post
DRUSY (To assist with ideas or thought forms ready to spring forth and grow such as thoughts or dreams, desires or wishes.) purchase DRUSY read blog post
DOW or TRANS-CHANNELER CRYSTALS (For divine balance, and a connection with the self and Universal Truth.) Note: Dow crystals are rare, and I don’t always have very many of them. Sometimes the ones I have are Dow by count (7-3-7-3-7-3) but have one large 7-sided face (present as a Channeler) or two large 7-sided faces and one small 7 (present as a Transmitter). If you order one, I will let you know at time of purchase what I have available. purchase DOW or TRANS-CHANNELER crystal read blog post
DOUBLE TERMINATED CRYSTALS (Useful in any application in which you want the energy to flow in both directions) purchase DOUBLE TERMINATED crystal read blog post
DOLPHIN CRYSTAL (To encourage teaching in a loving, fun, joyful way, or alternately, to assist one to enjoy learning) read blog post
CURVED CRYSTAL (To assist with flexibility “go with the flow” or to cleanse or brush your aura) purchase CURVED crystal read blog post
CLUSTER CRYSTAL (Raise the vibration in an environment or to assist with group dynamics) purchase crystal CLUSTER read blog post
CATHEDRAL or LIGHTBRARY CRYSTAL (Raise your vibrational frequency or access Akashic Records) purchase CATHEDRAL or LIGHTBRARY crystal read blog post
CHANNELER or CHANNELING CRYSTAL (To access higher wisdom, guides, other-world beings) purchase CHANNELER crystal read blog post
BRIDGE or INNER CHILD CRYSTAL (To help Bridge between worlds or help to access your innermost self) purchase BRIDGE or purchase INNER CHILD read blog post
BARNACLE QUARTZ CRYSTAL (Wise energy; ‘new souls’ attracted to ‘old soul’ energy) purchase BARNACLE read blog post
See you next week for Imprints and Keys on quartz crystals.
Hi Genn! I love your posts on the different types of crystals. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
I have a very general question in regards to crystal mining. I will be traveling though Arkansas next year on a cross country road trip. My intention is to hit the Mt.Ida area for some crystal digging. Can you recommend any of the mines there? Unfortunately I’ll only have a couple of days for digging and it will be in September which isnt ideal weatherwise but perhaps it will mean fewer tourists!
Hope to hear from you! Be well and happy.
Love,
Kristy
Hey Kristy! September will be great, actually. Not too hot, not too cold. Ron Coleman’s mine is an easy one to find and has all the amenities (toilet, etc), and if you are camping your way through, there is a small RV Park/Camping area right next to the mine. Really handy. Here’s their website: http://colemanquartz.com/ and I have a page where you can print the things you might need for digging: http://arkansascrystalworks.com/about-us/about-arkansas-crystal/how-to-dig-your-own-crystal/ (the link is at the bottom of the page for a printable copy). Happy Digging!