mineral
Quartz (Gray or Smoky variety)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Grayish-blue to translucent smoky, Luster: Vitreous, Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Grayish-blue to translucent smoky, Luster: Vitreous, Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture
Formation & geological history
Forms in igneous rocks like granite or metamrophic rocks. Often found in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites through the cooling of silica-rich fluids.
Uses & applications
Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as decorative/healing stones in jewelry.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Gray varieties like smoky quartz get their color from natural irradiation of aluminum impurities.
Field identification & locations
Look for a glassy appearance and the ability to scratch glass but not be scratched by steel. Commonly found in riverbeds and mountainous terrain.
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Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock