Rock Identifier
Clear quartz crystal (likely quartz fragment) (Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)) — mineral
mineral

Clear quartz crystal (likely quartz fragment)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Colorless and transparent with a glassy luster; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and indistinct cleavage with conchoidal fracture. The small specimen appears naturally crystalline or freshly fractured, though its size and image limit certainty.

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Physical properties

Colorless and transparent with a glassy luster; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and indistinct cleavage with conchoidal fracture. The small specimen appears naturally crystalline or freshly fractured, though its size and image limit certainty.

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, igneous melts, and metamorphic rocks over a broad range of geological ages. Common settings include quartz veins, pegmatites, geodes, and sedimentary deposits.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in glass, ceramics, electronics, abrasives, and engineered stone; clear crystals are also collected and sometimes cut as gemstones.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric, producing an electrical charge under pressure.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its clear glassy appearance, hardness greater than steel, lack of obvious cleavage, and conchoidal fracture; it commonly occurs worldwide in quartz veins and geodes. A definitive identification would require tests such as hardness and refractive index.