mineral

Quartz with Iron Oxide Staining

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, milky white to tan/reddish color due to iron oxides, vitreous to dull luster, trigonal crystal system, irregular to conchoidal fracture.

Identified July 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, milky white to tan/reddish color due to iron oxides, vitreous to dull luster, trigonal crystal system, irregular to conchoidal fracture.

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal deposition or crystallization from igneous and metamorphic activity. Common in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites worldwide.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as decorative rocks, gravel, in landscaping, and occasionally as industrial source material for silica glass and electronics.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth's continental crust. Iron staining gives white quartz a distinct orange, red, or brownish appearance along cracks and surface textures.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its inability to be scratched by steel (hardness 7), lack of cleavage, and translucent to opaque milky white appearance with reddish-brown weathering rings.