igneous
Quartz Vein in Rhyolite
Silicified extrusive igneous rock with hydrothermal quartz veinlets
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 7 on Mohs scale for quartz; tan-brown groundmass with white crystalline veins; vitreous luster; cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale for quartz; tan-brown groundmass with white crystalline veins; vitreous luster; cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure.
Formation & geological history
Formed when silica-rich hydrothermal fluids filled fractures in cooling volcanic rock, solidifying over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Commonly collected as a lapidary specimen or used in landscape decoration and crushed stone aggregates.
Geological facts
These contrasting vein patterns form when tectonic forces crack cooling lavas, allowing mineral-rich groundwater to precipitate quartz.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by hard white quartz veins cutting sharply through a fine-grained, brownish volcanic host rock.
