mineral

Quartz (Milky/Clear Variety)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent to white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent to white
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified April 6, 2026More mineral →

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

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent to white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. It is found in all geological environments and across all geological ages, from Precambrian to recent.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), abrasives, construction as an aggregate, and widely in jewelry and gemstone collection.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz, traditionally called rock crystal, is colorless and transparent or translucent.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage, and its characteristic shell-like (conchoidal) fracture surfaces. Commonly found in riverbeds, mountains, and as a primary component in granite.