mineral

Quartz (Iron-stained)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Orange-yellow (iron staining) to grayish-white; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (hexagonal system); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Orange-yellow (iron staining) to grayish-white
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified May 24, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or cooling magma within veins and cavities. The orange color is likely a surface coating of iron oxides like limonite or goethite deposited from groundwater over geological time.

Uses & applications

Common industrial use in glassmaking, abrasives, and electronics. Generally kept as a basic classroom specimen or decorative garden stone when in this raw, non-gem quality state.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'Quarz', which had its origins in Slavic and West Slavic words meaning 'hard'.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass and its lack of cleavage. This specific piece shows a 'rind' or matrix of weathered rock still attached to the crystal. Common worldwide in almost all geological environments.