mineral
Quartz with Iron Staining
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, white to clear crystalline structure with brownish-orange iron oxide surface staining, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no true cleavage. Specific gravity is approximately 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, white to clear crystalline structure with brownish-orange iron oxide surface staining, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no true cleavage. Specific gravity is approximately 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites through the precipitation of silica-rich solutions under high temperature and pressure, subsequently exposed to weathering which introduced iron oxides (limonite/hematite) onto the surface.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics, oscillator plates, gemstones, glassmaking, and mineral collecting.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust and exhibits piezoelectric properties, meaning it can generate an electrical charge when mechanical stress is applied.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass) and conchoidal fracture. Common worldwide in almost all geological environments, particularly in quartz veins and alluvial gravels.
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