mineral
Quartz (Quartzite / Iron-stained Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale tan, orange-brown, and brownish-grey due to iron oxide staining. Luster: Vitreous to waxy/dull on weathered surfaces. Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy/dull on weathered surfaces
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale tan, orange-brown, and brownish-grey due to iron oxide staining. Luster: Vitreous to waxy/dull on weathered surfaces. Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven.
Formation & geological history
Formed in high-temperature silica-rich fluids in igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary environments. Common in hydrothermal veins, granitic pegmatites, and weathered river gravels.
Uses & applications
Used as an abrasive, in glass manufacturing, construction aggregates, lapidary arts, and gemstone carving.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Iron oxide staining often gives otherwise clear or white quartz a reddish, tan, or golden hue.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (scratches glass easily), lack of cleavage, and characteristic conchoidal fracture. Found virtually worldwide in riverbeds, mountains, and soil erosion zones.
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