mineral
Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, hexagonal crystal system, specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, hexagonal crystal system, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Forms in a wide variety of geological environments including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, often crystallizing from silica-rich hydrothermal veins and pegmatites.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics, oscillators, glassmaking, abrasives, and as a gemstone or decorative mineral specimen.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust and exhibits piezoelectric properties, meaning it can generate an electrical charge under mechanical stress.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic hexagonal crystal habit when well-formed.
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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
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic