mineral

Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white (milky); Luster: Vitreous (glass-like) to waxy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless to white (milky)
Luster: Vitreous (glass-like) to waxy

Identified June 8, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white (milky); Luster: Vitreous (glass-like) to waxy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed in almost all mineral environments, most commonly from the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in electronics (oscillators), glassmaking, abrasives, construction as an aggregate, and in jewelry/lapidary as a gemstone.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. It is chemically and physically very resistant to weathering. Some specimens can exhibit piezoelectricity.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (cannot be scratched by a steel nail), its lack of cleavage, and its characteristic conchoidal fracture. Found worldwide in nearly every geological setting.