mineral

Green aventurine quartz (tentative)

Quartz, SiO₂, with fuchsite mica or other green inclusions

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Small rough, dark green-gray granular specimen with a sparkly micaceous luster; quartz hardness is 7 Mohs, though included material may be softer. Crystalline quartz has trigonal symmetry, no cleavage, and conchoidal fracture; exact identification requires testing.

Identified September 17, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Usually forms in metamorphic or hydrothermal environments when quartz crystallizes with chromium-bearing fuchsite mica, commonly in Precambrian rocks. The image alone cannot establish geological age or distinguish it confidently from another green mineral.

Uses & applications

Used as a lapidary stone, ornamental material, beads, and inexpensive jewelry; small rough pieces have modest collector appeal.

Geological facts

Aventurine’s characteristic glitter, called aventurescence, comes from reflective inclusions rather than quartz itself. Similar-looking specimens may be green mica schist, epidote, serpentine, or slag.

Field identification & locations

Check for glittering plate-like inclusions, glassy fracture, and hardness: quartz scratches glass, while a steel point should not scratch the quartz grains. Common sources include India, Brazil, Russia, and Zimbabwe.