mineral

Quartz (Iron-stained)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Ranges from translucent white to iron-stained orange/red; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Ranges from translucent white to iron-stained orange/red
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified March 22, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. The orange and reddish hues in this specimen are caused by iron oxide (hematite or limonite) staining on the surface or within micro-fractures of the quartz.

Uses & applications

Industrial use as an abrasive, in glassmaking, and electronics (piezoelectric properties). Iron-stained varieties specifically are popular as 'pocket stones' or 'garden rocks' for amateur collectors.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Iron-stained quartz is sometimes colloquially, though often incorrectly, referred to as 'ferruginous quartz' or 'heat-treated carnelian' in the metaphysical community.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to easily scratch glass and its lack of cleavage (it breaks in curved patterns like glass). It is commonly found in riverbeds, gravel pits, and eroding mountainous terrain globally.