mineral

Quartz (Pinkish-Orange Variety)

Crystalline Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-orange to milky white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (hexagonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pinkish-orange to milky white
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy

Identified June 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed via the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. This specimen shows signs of a massive crystalline structure rather than individual well-defined points, often associated with pegmatites or hydrothermal deposits common in the metamorphic and igneous massifs of Southern France.

Uses & applications

Used in manufacturing of glass and ceramics, as an abrasive, in electronics for its piezoelectric properties, and widely collected as ornamental stone or for metaphysical purposes.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's crust. The pinkish-tan hue in this specimen is likely due to trace amounts of iron or inclusions of other minerals like hematite or feldspar, which are common in the geology of the Var region.

Field identification & locations

Identified in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass and cannot be scratched by a steel blade) and its lack of cleavage. The location (43.5°N, 6.5°E) puts this near the Massif de l'Esterel or Maures in France, areas rich in quartz-bearing rhyolites and metamorphic rocks.

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