Rock Identifier
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)) — mineral
mineral

Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness of 7 on Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and trigonal crystal system with clear, white, or purple color variations.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and trigonal crystal system with clear, white, or purple color variations.

Formation & geological history

Forms in wide varieties of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments through cooling magmas or hydrothermal precipitation.

Uses & applications

Widely used in electronics, precision instruments, glassmaking, construction materials, and as gemstones or mineral specimens in jewelry.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust and exhibits piezoelectric properties, generating electricity under mechanical stress.

Field identification & locations

Identified easily by its hexagonal crystal prisms, high hardness scratching glass, and lack of cleavage; globally distributed.