Quartz
Image: <div class="fn value"> <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a></div> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameQuartz
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorscolorless, white, pale yellow, gray
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalitySaint Lary, Ariège
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, industrial, collector
Associated Mineralsfeldspar, mica, calcite, pyrite
Raritycommon
Description
This specimen features a cluster of several well-formed, prismatic quartz crystals, predominantly colorless to white and transparent. Some crystals exhibit minor grayish-brown inclusions or coatings, with smaller, pale yellow crystals visible at the base.
Geological Context
Quartz is a ubiquitous mineral found in a wide range of geological settings, including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It commonly crystallizes from hydrothermal solutions in veins and pegmatites, often forming in cavities within host rocks.
