mineral

Clear Quartz (Tumbled)

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide - SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glass-like); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless/Transparent
Luster: Vitreous (glass-like)

Identified March 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glass-like); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. Often found in igneous rocks like granite or metamorphic rocks like quartzite. It can be found in formations ranging from millions to billions of years old.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in jewelry as gemstones, in electronics for its piezoelectric properties, in glassmaking, and widely collected for 'metaphysical' or decorative purposes.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. When clear and well-formed, it was historically believed by some cultures to be 'eternal ice' that would never melt.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass and lack of cleavage. Tumbled specimens like the one pictured are common in gift shops and can be found naturally in stream beds where water has smoothed the edges. Common locations include Brazil, Arkansas (USA), and Madagascar.

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