mineral
Blue Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with inclusions
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Blue, grayish-blue, or lavender-blue; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Blue, grayish-blue, or lavender-blue
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
Identified More mineral →
Explore Blue Quartz in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Blue, grayish-blue, or lavender-blue; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments, often colored blue by microscopic fibrous inclusions of minerals such as tourmaline, dumortierite, or crocidolite.
Uses & applications
Used in gemstone jewelry, ornamental carvings, crystal healing, and as tumbled decorative stones.
Geological facts
The blue coloration in blue quartz is typically an optical effect or due to microscopic inclusions rather than a fundamental property of the pure quartz crystal lattice.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified by its conchoidal fracture, scratch resistance against steel, and characteristic blue hue with vitreous luster. Commonly sourced from Brazil, India, and the USA.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Soil with Mineral Detritus and Quartz Fragments
Regolith / Silicate Mineral Aggregate
sedimentary
Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
mineral
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
sedimentary
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral