mineral
Quartz with Iron Staining
Crystalline Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White/clear with yellow/orange iron oxide staining, Luster: Vitreous (glassy), Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal, Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White/clear with yellow/orange iron oxide staining, Luster: Vitreous (glassy), Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal, Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from cooling silica-rich magma or hydrothermal veins. The orange staining is a micro-coating of iron oxides (like goethite or hematite) deposited by groundwater.
Uses & applications
Industrial use in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as common collector specimens or lapidary rough.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Specimens like this are often called 'Golden Healer' in metaphysical communities when the iron staining is specific.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to scratch glass, lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. Commonly found in riverbeds, mountains, and outcroppings worldwide.
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Mineral
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Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
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