Quartz
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameQuartz
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone (or very poor/indistinct)
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorsclear, white, milky
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalitySouth Waziristan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, industrial, collector, electronics
Associated Mineralsfeldspar, mica, calcite, pyrite
Raritycommon
Description
This specimen features a cluster of clear to milky white, prismatic quartz crystals, some with well-defined terminations, held in a hand against a dark background.
Geological Context
Quartz is a ubiquitous mineral, forming in a wide range of geological environments including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, often crystallizing from hydrothermal solutions in veins and pegmatites.
