mineral
Clear Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Colorless/Transparent. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: Indistinct/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: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture. Specific Gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or the cooling of silica-rich magma/pegmatites across various geological eras.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics for its piezoelectric properties, glassmaking, jewelry, and widely collected as a healing or decorative stone.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'Quarz' and previously the Slavic word for 'hard'.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its lack of cleavage, showing shell-like (conchoidal) fractures instead. Found worldwide in nearly all geological environments.
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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Sandstone with Mineral Veining or Crust
Sedimentary Sandstone (mostly SiO2 with Fe2O3 tinting)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic