metamorphic
Quartzite with Druzy Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Rusty orange, reddish-brown, and translucent white; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal druzy crystals; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Rusty orange, reddish-brown, and translucent white
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
Identified More metamorphic →
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Rusty orange, reddish-brown, and translucent white; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal druzy crystals; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure, with secondary hydrothermal fluids depositing micro-crystals (druze) in voids or along the surface. Common in Precambrian and Paleozoic formations.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone or decorative landscaping rock; smaller crystalline specimens are kept as mineral samples or used in lapidary work.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Iron oxide staining (rust) gives this specimen its distinctive orange-red coloration.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by steel and its granular, sugary texture. Often found in riverbeds or near mountain ranges where tectonic activity has occurred.
