mineral
Quartz Geode
Crystalline Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) in Geode form
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Clear to white; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Clear to white
- Luster
- Vitreous/glassy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Clear to white; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed within hollow cavities in sedimentary or igneous rock. Mineral-rich groundwater precipitates quartz crystals over thousands of years inside these bubbles or gas pockets. Typically Cretaceous or younger in age.
Uses & applications
Decorative display, metaphysical collecting, educational geological specimens, and jewelry components.
Geological facts
Geodes are essentially 'rock bubbles'. While they look like ordinary lumpy rocks on the outside, they contain hollow cavities lined with crystals on the inside. Most commercial quartz geodes like this one come from Morocco.
Field identification & locations
Identified by a round or egg-shaped exterior with a bumpy surface and a weight that is lighter than it looks (due to the hollow center). Found in desert regions or limestone quarries. Use a rock hammer to carefully crack open suspected specimens.
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Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
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metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
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