mineral
White Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to milky; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White to milky
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to milky; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and as a primary component of many igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks across various geological eras.
Uses & applications
Used in electronics, oscillators, glassmaking, abrasive powders, and as gemstones or ornamental mineral specimens in collections.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth's continental crust and exhibits piezoelectric properties, meaning it can generate an electrical charge under mechanical stress.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and distinct conchoidal fracture. Found worldwide, particularly in pegmatites and quartz veins.
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Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
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