mineral

Quartz (Milky/Clear Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent to white/clear. Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy on fractured surfaces. Crystal Structure: Trigonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal/uneven fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent to white/clear
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy on fractured surfaces

Identified July 21, 2026More mineral →

Explore Quartz (Milky/Clear Quartz) in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in a wide range of geological environments, including igneous pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and metamorphic rocks. It crystallizes from silica-rich fluids during magmatic cooling or thermal fluid movement.

Uses & applications

Widely used in electronics (piezoelectric applications), glass manufacturing, abrasives, jewelry, lapidary art, and as decorative specimen for mineral collectors.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its piezoelectric properties allow it to generate an electrical charge under mechanical stress, which powers quartz watches and electronics.

Field identification & locations

Identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass, cannot be scratched by a steel nail), lack of cleavage, glassy fracture surfaces, and chemical resistance. Commonly found in quartz veins, gravel deposits, pegmatites, and stream beds worldwide.