mineral
Quartz (or Chert/Flint)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Light grey to translucent white. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Fracture: Conchoidal. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Microcrystalline.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Light grey to translucent white
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Light grey to translucent white. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Fracture: Conchoidal. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Microcrystalline.
Formation & geological history
Forms in a wide range of geological environments, including igneous pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and sedimentary deposits through precipitation of silica-rich fluids.
Uses & applications
Widely used in lapidary work, decorative rock collections, glass production, electronics, and historically for stone tool manufacturing.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Microcrystalline varieties like chert and flint were among the first materials used by early humans for tools due to their sharp conchoidal fracturing.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to scratch glass (hardness 7), distinct curved shell-like (conchoidal) fracture surfaces, and translucent to opaque appearance. Common worldwide in gravel beds, streams, and rock outcrops.
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