Quartz (Rock Crystal)
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Mineral NameQuartz (Rock Crystal)
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorscolorless, white, iridescent
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityTibet
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, industrial, collector, optical instruments
Associated Mineralsfeldspar, mica, calcite, pyrite, tourmaline
Raritycommon
Description
A cluster of clear, colorless, prismatic quartz crystals, some exhibiting internal rainbow iridescence due to fractures, set against a dark background.
Geological Context
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust, forming in a wide range of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, often crystallizing from hydrothermal solutions in veins and pegmatites.
