mineral
Clear Quartz
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Colorless/Transparent
- Luster
- Vitreous (glassy)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless/Transparent; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It can be found in almost all geological environments and across all ages of Earth history.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, abrasives, electronics (piezoelectric oscillators), jewelry (gemstones), and as decorative interior specimens.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'Quarz', which has Slavic origins meaning 'hard'.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic shell-like (conchoidal) fracture. Found globally in mountains, riverbeds, and mines.
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metamorphic
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Mineral
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Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
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