mineral

Quartz (Vein Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to translucent grey; Luster: Vitreous to greasy on fracture surfaces; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to translucent grey
Luster: Vitreous to greasy on fracture surfaces

Identified June 8, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes where silica-rich hot fluids circulate through fractures in existing rock layers, cooling and crystallizing over time. Commonly found in metamorphic and igneous terrains.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in the glass industry, as an abrasive, in electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), and as a landscape or construction aggregate.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its white color from tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its lack of cleavage planes. It often appears as white veins cutting through darker host rocks. Found globally in almost all geological environments.