mineral
Clear quartz crystal (likely quartz fragment)
Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectColorless 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.
