mineral
Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color ranges from colorless to white, gray, purple, pink, etc.; vitreous luster; hexagonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color ranges from colorless to white, gray, purple, pink, etc.; vitreous luster; hexagonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Forms in a wide variety of geological environments, including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Frequently precipitates from hydrothermal veins and silica-rich solutions.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics, oscillators, glassmaking, abrasives, gemstones, and ornamental objects.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, surpassed only by feldspar.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), conchoidal fracture, and lack of cleavage. Found globally in almost all rock types.
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Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Soil with Mineral Detritus and Quartz Fragments
Regolith / Silicate Mineral Aggregate
sedimentary
Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
mineral
Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral