mineral

Quartz Crystal Cluster

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Colorless to white (milky); Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal (six-sided prisms); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

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

Identified July 9, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in a wide variety of environments, most commonly by hydrothermal precipitation from hot, silica-rich fluids in veins or cavities within igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary host rocks.

Uses & applications

Highly valued as a collector specimen, used in jewelry (faceting and beads), industrial use in glassmaking, abrasives, and electronics (piezoelectric properties).

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. Its name is derived from the German word 'quarz', which originally meant 'hard'. Natural quartz crystals are piezoelectric, meaning they generate an electric charge when mechanically stressed.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass, its six-sided crystal points with pyramid-like terminations, and its lack of cleavage. Found worldwide, particularly in Arkansas (USA), Brazil, and Madagascar.