mineral
Tumbled or naturally broken quartz crystal
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectColorless to milky translucent pieces with vitreous luster and irregular fracture; hardness 7 on the Mohs scale, no cleavage, and a hexagonal crystal structure. The yellowish tint may result from iron staining or surface coating.
Identified More mineral →
Explore Tumbled or naturally broken quartz crystal in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Colorless to milky translucent pieces with vitreous luster and irregular fracture; hardness 7 on the Mohs scale, no cleavage, and a hexagonal crystal structure. The yellowish tint may result from iron staining or surface coating.
Formation & geological history
Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, igneous melts, or sedimentary veins; individual pieces cannot be dated from the image. Commonly associated with granite, pegmatite, quartz veins, and geodes.
Uses & applications
Used for glass, electronics, abrasives, and engineered stone; clear attractive crystals are collected or used in inexpensive jewelry.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and commonly forms six-sided prisms with pyramidal terminations, though these specimens appear fractured or worn.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its glassy appearance, hardness, lack of cleavage, and inability to scratch it with a steel knife; common worldwide, especially in Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and quartz-vein regions.
