The presence of foreign residue such as dust on the surface of the glass or inside the kiln prior to firing can provide nucleation points where crystals can propagate easily.
The chemical compositions of some types of glass can make them more vulnerable to devitrification than others, for example a high lime content can be factor in inducing this condition.
Alternatively, sandblasting, acid bath, or polishing with a pumice stone or rotary brush can be used to remove the unwanted surface.
[citation needed] In a general sense, any crystallization from a magma could be considered devitrification, but the term is most commonly used for the formation of spherulites in otherwise glassy rocks such as obsidian.
Devitrification can occur in glass wool used in high-temperature applications, resulting in the formation of potentially carcinogenic mineral powders.