mineral

Quartz Sand Grain

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Colorless to milky white; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Colorless to milky white
Luster: Vitreous

Identified March 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Colorless to milky white; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the igneous cooling of silica-rich magma or from metamorphic processes. This specific grain surfaced through the erosion and weathering of parent rocks like granite, subsequently transported and rounded by water or wind over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, hydraulic fracturing (proppant), construction (concrete and mortar), abrasive blasting, and filtration systems. High-purity quartz is also used in electronics.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Sand grains like this one are the ultimate survivors of the geological cycle because quartz is chemically stable and physically hard.

Field identification & locations

Field identification: It will scratch glass but cannot be scratched by a steel knife. Common in beaches, riverbeds, and deserts worldwide. For collectors, it represents the microscopic beauty of detrital sediment.