mineral

Milky Quartz / Rose Quartz fragment

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to pale pink; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White to pale pink
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy

Identified April 17, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to pale pink; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within pegmatites. It is often part of large vein systems and can be found in rocks from nearly all geological eras.

Uses & applications

Used in glassmaking, abrasives, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), and as a decorative stone or gemstone in jewelry and crystal healing markets.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is clear, but impurities and inclusions lead to varieties like milky quartz (fluid inclusions) and rose quartz (trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese).

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and glassy luster. It is ubiquitous globally and often found in mountain ranges, riverbeds, and as resistant grains in sedimentary deposits.

Other mineral specimens

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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

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