mineral

Clear Quartz

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to transparent; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Colorless to transparent
Luster: Vitreous

Identified June 30, 2026More mineral →

Explore Clear Quartz in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to transparent; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments. Most clear crystals form from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions in veins and geodes during the cooling process of magma or tectonic activity.

Uses & applications

Used in electronics as piezoelectric oscillators, glassmaking, abrasives, jewelry (as rock crystal), and widely collected for metaphysical purposes or mineral displays.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is naturally transparent, but impurities create varieties like amethyst or citrine.

Field identification & locations

Identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and conchoidal (glass-like) fracture pattern. Commonly found in pegmatites, mountains, and riverbeds globally.