mineral

Ferruginous Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Hematite/Limonite impurities

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Yellowish-brown, orange, or rusty red due to iron oxide; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Yellowish-brown, orange, or rusty red due to iron oxide
Luster: Vitreous to dull

Identified March 16, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes where silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins or cavities. The rusty coloration occurs when iron-rich groundwater (containing hematite or limonite) coats the surface or leaches into internal fractures over geological time.

Uses & applications

Primarily used as decorative stones, in landscaping, or as specimens for hobbyist mineral collectors. Larger industrial deposits of high-purity quartz are used in glass-making and electronics.

Geological facts

Also known as 'Iron Quartz' or 'Golden Healer' in metaphysical communities. The orange and brown staining is often just a thin 'skin' or coating that can sometimes be removed with oxalic acid to reveal clear quartz underneath.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass and its characteristic rusty staining alongside a translucent to milky interior. It is commonly found in gravel pits, riverbeds, and mountainous regions worldwide.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral