mineral

Quartz (specifically Milky or Clear Quartz fragment)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Clear to translucent milky white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Clear to translucent milky white
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified March 17, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Clear to translucent milky white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Forms in a wide variety of environments, most commonly from the cooling of magma in igneous rocks like granite or from hydrothermal veins where mineral-rich water deposits minerals in rock crevices. It is found in all geological ages from the Precambrian to Holocene.

Uses & applications

Used in electronics (as oscillators due to piezoelectric properties), glassmaking, abrasives, gemstones for jewelry, and as a component in concrete and mortar.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. It is highly resistant to both chemical and physical weathering, which is why it is the primary component of most beach sand.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage (it breaks like glass with curved surfaces), and its glassy luster. It is found globally in mountains, riverbeds, and desert sands.

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