sedimentary
Quartz Sand / Sandstone grains
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: translucent white, tan, off-white; Luster: vitreous (glassy) to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (as individual quartz grains); Cleavage: none.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- translucent white, tan, off-white
- Luster
- vitreous (glassy) to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: translucent white, tan, off-white; Luster: vitreous (glassy) to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (as individual quartz grains); Cleavage: none.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical and chemical weathering and erosion of pre-existing igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks rich in quartz, transported by water or wind and deposited in beach, river, or dune environments.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, concrete production, mortar, hydraulic fracturing (proppant), water filtration, and sandblasting.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most resistant minerals to chemical and physical weathering, which is why quartz sand makes up the vast majority of desert dunes and ocean beaches around the world.
Field identification & locations
Identified by fine, loose to loosely compacted granular quartz particles that scratch glass. Abundant worldwide along riverbeds, beaches, and deserts.
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