mineral

Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white/milky; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless to white/milky
Luster: Vitreous

Identified May 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white/milky; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Forms in a wide variety of environments, most commonly from the cooling of magma or by precipitation from hydrothermal veins. It is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks across all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, construction sands, and as gemstones or decorative collector pieces.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. It is chemically very stable and resistant to weathering, which is why it is the primary component of most river and beach sands.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage, and its characteristic greasy-to-glassy luster. It is ubiquitous globally, found in almost every mountainous or rocky region.