mineral

Clear Quartz (Rock Crystal)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Colorless and transparent. Luster: Vitreous/glassy. Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale
Color: Colorless and transparent
Luster: Vitreous/glassy

Identified April 5, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Colorless and transparent. Luster: Vitreous/glassy. Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling and crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or magma. Found in almost all geological environments including igneous (pegmatites), metamorphic (schists), and sedimentary rocks.

Uses & applications

Used widely in jewelry (faceted stones, beads), electronics (as a piezoelectric oscillator), optics, and glass manufacturing. Highly popular in metaphysical and mineral collecting circles.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is known as rock crystal; it was once believed by ancient Greeks to be ice that had frozen so hard it would never melt.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic hexagonal prism shape with pyramidal terminations. Commonly found in veins or as loose crystals in weathered areas.