mineral

Rough Quartz (likely Rose or Smoky variant)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale translucent greyish-pink; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pale translucent greyish-pink
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy

Identified April 12, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It can be found in a wide variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments across all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, and as a gemstone for jewelry or lapidary collecting.

Geological facts

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

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it can scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic shell-like (conchoidal) fracture pattern. Commonly found in riverbeds, mountain outcrops, and beach sands.

Other mineral specimens

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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral