mineral

Green Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; green color due to inclusions of minerals like chlorite, actinolite, or fuchsite; vitreous to greasy luster; hexagonal crystal system (often massive or cryptocrystalline in tumbled stones); conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of approximately 2.65.

Identified August 7, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, or metamorphic environments where silica-rich fluids deposit quartz alongside green accessory minerals over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in lapidary arts, tumbled stones, polished specimens, decorative objects, and occasionally in jewelry-making.

Geological facts

Green varieties of macrocrystalline quartz are sometimes confused with jade or green aventurine, though true green quartz gets its color from distinct mineral inclusions.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, waxy to vitreous surface texture, and characteristic green tint. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial drift, and quartz-bearing rock formations worldwide.