mineral
Quartz, likely milky or smoky quartz
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectTranslucent gray-brown, vitreous to slightly dull surface; hardness 7 on Mohs scale, trigonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. The small, weathered piece limits confident color identification.
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Physical properties
Translucent gray-brown, vitreous to slightly dull surface; hardness 7 on Mohs scale, trigonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. The small, weathered piece limits confident color identification.
Formation & geological history
Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich magma and hydrothermal fluids, and also occurs in many sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Its age cannot be determined from the image.
Uses & applications
Quartz is used in glass and electronics; attractive clear or colored specimens are collected and sometimes cut for jewelry.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and resists weathering, so it commonly persists in soils and stream gravels.
Field identification & locations
Look for hardness sufficient to scratch glass, a glassy luster, and curved fracture surfaces rather than flat cleavage planes. Common worldwide in veins, igneous rocks, and river deposits.
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