mineral

Clear Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless/Transparent
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified March 21, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal solutions. It can form in various geological ages from the Precambrian to the present.

Uses & applications

Used in electronics (oscillators), optical instruments, glassmaking, clockmaking (quartz movements), and extensively in jewelry and gemstone collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Historically, the word 'quartz' comes from the German word 'Quarz', and ancient Greeks called it 'krystallos', meaning icy cold.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and transparent appearance. Found globally in sandstones, granites, and hydrothermal veins. Often found as tumbled stones in retail settings.