Full multiple-scattering (MS) calculations of the X-ray absorption spectra at the silicon L 2 , 3 , K and oxygen K-edges in zircon and alpha-quartz and comparison to ELNES and XANES experimental data are used to elucidate the fine structure in the spectra. The pronounced differences between the quartz vs zircon spectra are mostly in the intensities of the transitions, not in their energies but can be fully modelled with the MS approach. It is shown that the intensities are related to the different site symmetries in these structures.