mineral

Quartz (worked as a tool or artifact)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Translucent grayish-white (smoky/cloudy). Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale
Color: Translucent grayish-white (smoky/cloudy)
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified May 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Translucent grayish-white (smoky/cloudy). Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes or within igneous pegmatites. This specific piece appears to be a 'flake' or 'lithic debitage' from stone tool manufacturing, likely from the Holocene or late Pleistocene epoch.

Uses & applications

Used by ancient civilizations for stone tools (arrowheads, scrapers, knives) due to its hardness and sharp edges. Today used in jewelry, electronics, and glassmaking.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. When struck at the correct angle, it produces predictable, razor-sharp conchoidal fractures, making it a primary material for prehistoric lithic technology.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and the presence of bulb of percussion or ripple marks indicating it was struck by a tool. Commonly found in riverbeds, fields, and rocky outcrops worldwide.

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