mineral
Banded Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Cream, white, and tan bands; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Cream, white, and tan bands
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Cream, white, and tan bands; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from hydrothermal solutions or within veins where silica-rich fluids cooled and crystallized in layers over time, often within host rock cavities.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in lapidary work, jewelry as cabochons, and as decorative landscaping stones or collector specimens.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. The banding represents different stages of mineral deposition or varying impurity concentrations during growth.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and distinct layering. Commonly found in riverbeds, beaches, and mountainous regions worldwide.
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Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
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Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
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Epidote
Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)
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