Rock Identifier
Yellow Quartz (Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)) — mineral
mineral

Yellow Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; yellow to golden-brown color; vitreous luster; trigonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.

Identified More mineral
Explore Yellow Quartz in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

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

Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; yellow to golden-brown color; vitreous luster; trigonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments. Typically crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or magmas over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Used in jewelry, decorative carvings, spiritual and metaphysical practices, and as mineral specimens for collectors.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. The yellow color in quartz is often caused by irradiation, trace amounts of iron impurities, or sub-microscopic inclusions.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), conchoidal fracture, and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, and alluvial gravel deposits worldwide.