mineral

Quartz-rich breccia or vein quartz fragment

Quartz (SiO₂), likely with iron-oxide staining and attached host rock

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness about 7 Mohs; translucent gray-white with brown staining, vitreous luster, and irregular fracture rather than obvious cleavage. The angular texture suggests quartz intergrown with a darker matrix, possibly brecciated quartz.

Identified August 10, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Likely formed when silica-rich hydrothermal fluids filled fractures, later broken and cemented or exposed by weathering. Precise age and locality cannot be determined from the photograph.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and engineered stone; attractive pieces are collected as mineral specimens. This small irregular fragment has little commercial jewelry value.

Geological facts

Quartz commonly shows conchoidal fracture and can scratch ordinary glass. Brown coloration is commonly caused by iron oxides such as limonite or hematite.

Field identification & locations

Look for glassy luster, lack of cleavage, hardness near 7, and possible six-sided crystal faces; a steel nail should not scratch clean quartz. Common worldwide in hydrothermal veins, geodes, and metamorphic rocks.