mineral

Quartz Crystal (Rough)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent grayish-white to yellowish-brown (iron oxide staining). Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal System: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified July 21, 2026More mineral →

Explore Quartz Crystal (Rough) in the encyclopedia →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and sedimentary environments as silica precipitates from solution under varying temperature and pressure conditions.

Uses & applications

Commonly used for mineral collecting, jewelry cabochons, and industrially in electronics (piezoelectric applications) and optics when pure.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Specimens stained with iron oxide (limonite or hematite) are often referred to as golden healer quartz or iron-stained quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass, cannot be scratched by steel), glassy to greasy luster, lack of cleavage, and typical hexagonal crystal habit when fully formed. Found worldwide in nearly all geological environments.