mineral
Quartz (White/Milky Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent, Luster: Vitreous (glassy), Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent, Luster: Vitreous (glassy), Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in all geological environments and across all geological ages, from the Precambrian to the present.
Uses & applications
Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), construction as an abrasive, and small specimens are often collected by hobbyists.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'quarz', which has Slavic origins meaning 'hard'.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by steel, lack of cleavage, and glassy appearance. It is found globally in mountains, riverbeds, and beaches.
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Schist
Schist
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Epidote
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Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
![Biotite Schist (Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]) — metamorphic](https://media.rock.id/9ca564b5-bc87-402b-965a-69b21f9aa6bf-thumbnail.jpg)
Biotite Schist
Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]
metamorphic