mineral
Quartz (Milky/Common Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to semi-translucent grayish-yellow, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Identified More mineral →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to semi-translucent grayish-yellow, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of magma or by precipitation from hydrothermal veins. This specimen appears water-worn or weathered, commonly found in riverbeds or sedimentary deposits.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, abrasives, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as architectural stone or landscaping gravel.
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 will scratch glass and steel) and lack of cleavage. Look for the characteristic conchoidal (shell-like) fracture patterns on broken surfaces.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
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](https://media.rockidentification.com/2391a63f-fb20-47d5-af9a-2035851eb32e-thumbnail.jpg)
Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
mineral