Quartzite (Quartz Vein)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to tan with reddish iron staining, Luster: Vitreous to dull, Crystal structure: Trigonal (often massive/granular), Specific gravity: 2.65

Formed through the regional metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone or as silica-rich hydrothermal fluids cooling within crustal fractures (vein formation). Can range from Proterozoic to Cenozoic eras.

Used as an abrasive, in the production of glass and silicon, as crushed stone for road construction, and occasionally for lapidary work or landscape decoration.

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Massive white quartz like this was often used by ancient cultures to create temper for pottery or to assist in starting fires with flint.

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by steel and its lack of reaction to acid. Commonly found in mountainous regions or trailing along riverbeds. Look for the distinctive sugary texture or glassy fracture.