mineral

Quartz with Mica (Muscovite/Biotite)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Phyllosilicate inclusions

Hardness: 7 for quartz, 2-2.5 for mica; Color: White/clear quartz with silvery or dark metallic mica flakes; Luster: Vitreous for quartz, pearly to metallic for mica; Crystal structure: Trigonal (quartz), Monoclinic (mica); Specific Gravity: 2.65 for quartz

Hardness: 7 for quartz, 2-2
Color: White/clear quartz with silvery or dark metallic mica flakes
Luster: Vitreous for quartz, pearly to metallic for mica

Identified August 2, 2026More mineral →

Explore Quartz with Mica (Muscovite/Biotite) in the encyclopedia →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in pegmatites or hydrothermal veins where silica-rich fluids crystallized alongside sheet silicates deep within the Earth's crust.

Uses & applications

Used in mineral collections, lapidary work, and decorative display.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, and when found with reflective mica flakes, it is often colloquially mistaken for gold by novice prospectors (hence the nickname 'fool's gold' when pyrite is involved, though mica has its own distinct flaky look).

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by the hard, glassy white quartz matrix contrasting with soft, flexible sheets of reflective mica. Commonly found in pegmatite dykes and metamorphic rocks worldwide.

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