mineral

Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

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

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

Identified June 7, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

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

Formation & geological history

Forms in a wide variety of environments, primarily through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks of all ages.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, jewelry (as semi-precious stones), and as a structural component in many building materials.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is traditionally called rock crystal, while varieties with impurities create stones like amethyst, citrine, and rose quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identified in the field by its hardness (it scratches glass), conchoidal fracture, and lack of cleavage. It is ubiquitous in mountainous regions, riverbeds, and beaches worldwide.