mineral

Raw quartz crystal fragment

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; colorless to milky-white, with a vitreous luster and translucent appearance. It has a hexagonal crystal structure and poor cleavage, commonly breaking conchoidally; the specimen appears as an irregular crystalline fragment.

Identified September 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, pegmatites, and cavities in igneous or metamorphic rocks; individual crystals may range from ancient to geologically recent. The image does not provide enough evidence for a precise locality or age.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, electronics, abrasives, and engineered stone; clear attractive crystals are sold as mineral specimens. This small piece has modest decorative or educational value.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric, producing an electrical charge when mechanically stressed. Milky quartz gets its opacity from microscopic fluid inclusions and defects.

Field identification & locations

Look for glassy luster, translucency, hardness sufficient to scratch ordinary glass, and angular crystal faces or conchoidal fracture; avoid testing valuable specimens destructively. Common worldwide, especially in granite pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and metamorphic rocks.