mineral
Quartz (Milky/Chalcedony variety)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent white to pale grey with iron staining and matrix inclusions. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Conchoidal fracture.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent white to pale grey with iron staining and matrix inclusions. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Forms in a wide range of geological environments, commonly in pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and sedimentary deposits, precipitated from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids.
Uses & applications
Used in lapidary work, jewelry, gemstone collecting, electronics (piezoelectric applications), and silica manufacturing.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust after feldspar. It resists weathering extremely well and is the main component of most beach sand.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to scratch glass (Mohs 7), lack of cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and glassy-to-waxy luster. Commonly found worldwide in riverbeds, mountains, and mining veins.
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