mineral
Yellow Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale yellow to golden; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale yellow to golden
- Luster
- Vitreous/glassy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale yellow to golden; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous and metamorphic environments, typically in pegmatites or hydrothermal veins where silicon-rich fluids saturate and crystallize over geologic time.
Uses & applications
Commonly used in jewelry as a gemstone, decorative carvings, and as a collector's specimen. Industrial uses include glassmaking and electronics due to piezoelectric properties.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Yellow varieties can occur naturally due to ferric iron inclusions or be produced by heat-treating smoky quartz or amethyst.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in mountainous regions worldwide, including the US, Brazil, and Madagascar.
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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Sandstone with Mineral Veining or Crust
Sedimentary Sandstone (mostly SiO2 with Fe2O3 tinting)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic