Quartz
Image: “Jon Zander (<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Digon3" title="User:Digon3">Digon3</a>)" (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameQuartz
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak ColorWhite
CleavageNone
FractureConchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorscolorless, white, light grey
Transparencytransparent/translucent
Type LocalityWorldwide
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, industrial, abrasives, electronics, collector specimens
Associated Mineralsfeldspar, mica, calcite, pyrite
Raritycommon
Description
The image displays a dense cluster of small, clear to milky white, prismatic quartz crystals with well-defined terminations, growing on a brownish, earthy matrix.
Geological Context
Quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth, found in a vast array of geological environments including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, often crystallizing from hydrothermal solutions or magmas.
