mineral
Quartz (Rose Quartz or Iron-stained Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-brown to white, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-brown to white, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from supercritical fluids in the Earth's crust over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used as a gemstone, for ornamental carvings, as a source of silica for glass manufacturing, and in electronic oscillators and high-frequency equipment.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Iron staining can give white quartz a reddish or brownish surface appearance, mimicking rose quartz.
Field identification & locations
Check for hexagonal crystal hints and hardness (should scratch glass but not be scratched by a steel file). Commonly found in mountainous regions or inside riverbeds.
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Schist
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Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
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