mineral

Massive Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to translucent colorless; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to translucent colorless
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 14, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. This specimen likely originated in a pegmatite or hydrothermal vein system. Geological age varies greatly from Precambrian to Cenozoic depending on the host rock.

Uses & applications

Used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, and abrasives. High-purity quartz is essential for electronic components and oscillators. It is also used in construction as an aggregate and in jewelry as a semi-precious gemstone (though usually in crystal form).

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz, traditionally called rock crystal, is colorless and transparent, while the milky appearance here is caused by microscopic inclusions of fluids trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass and steel), lack of cleavage, and characteristic waxy/glassy luster. Found globally, especially in mountainous regions and riverbeds. Collectors look for clarity and internal fractures.