mineral
Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, clear to white color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, clear to white color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in a wide variety of environments including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, often crystallizing from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or cooling magma
Uses & applications
Used in electronics, watches, glassmaking, abrasives, and as gemstones or ornamental mineral specimens
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and widely distributed minerals on Earth's continental crust, exhibiting piezoelectric properties used in precision timekeeping
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture; found worldwide in almost all geological settings
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Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
sedimentary
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral