Rock Identifier
Clear Quartz Crystal (Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)) — mineral
mineral

Clear Quartz Crystal

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal Fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness
7 on Mohs scale
Color
Colorless/Transparent
Luster
Vitreous
Identified More mineral
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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal Fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed from cooling silica-rich magma or through hydrothermal activity in veins. It can be found in almost all geological environments and across all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Used in jewelry, precision technology (oscillators), glassmaking, abrasives, and highly valued in the metaphysical and specimen collecting communities.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Single crystals can grow to be several meters long and weigh hundreds of kilograms.

Field identification & locations

Identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), hexagonal prism shape with pyramidal terminations, and lack of cleavage. Common in Brazil, Madagascar, and the USA (Arkansas).