mineral
Quartz (Druzy or Chalcedony variant)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Grayish-white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Grayish-white to tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Grayish-white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the precipitation of silica from hydrothermal fluids in rock cavities or veins. It can occur in various geological environments spanning from Precambrian to modern times.
Uses & applications
Common quartz is used in commercial abrasives, glassmaking, and electronics. Small druzy specimens are popular in wire-wrapped jewelry and for beginner mineral collections.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Druzy quartz forms when tiny crystals grow on the surface of another mineral or rock.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in riverbeds, gravel pits, and inside geodes globally.
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