mineral

Quartz

Silicon dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Colorless to white (milky), often with iron staining (yellow/brown); Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified June 4, 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 the cooling of magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. It is found in all types of rocks (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) and can be over a billion years old depending on the host rock.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), abrasives, construction as aggregate, and extensively in jewelry and gemstone collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'quarz', which originally meant 'hard'.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it can scratch glass and steel), lack of cleavage, and glassy appearance. It is found globally in mountains, riverbeds, and beaches.