mineral

Clear Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Colorless to white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct/None; Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Colorless to white
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified July 12, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Colorless to white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct/None; Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed in a wide variety of environments, most commonly by the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks across all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in electronics for its piezoelectric properties (watches, radios), in glassmaking, as an abrasive, and widely in jewelry and crystal healing collections.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is traditionally called rock crystal or clear quartz and was historically used to make lenses and crystal balls.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (will scratch glass), glassy luster, and conchoidal (shell-like) fracture patterns. It is found globally, with major deposits in Brazil and the United States (Arkansas).