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)
tetragonalcommonSilicates
Zircon
ZrSiO4
This specimen displays a reddish-brown, somewhat blocky crystal of zircon, exhibiting its characteristic adamantine luster. The crystal appears to be embedded in a matrix, possibly of other rock-forming minerals.
Zircon Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
7.5Crystal System
tetragonalLuster
adamantineStreak Color
whiteCleavage
indistinct/poor on {110}Fracture
conchoidalSpecific Gravity
4.68Colors
brown, reddish-brown, yellow, green, blue, colorlessTransparency
transparentType Locality
Tuxedo, Henderson County, North Carolina, USAMineral Group
SilicatesUses
gemstone, source of zirconium, geochronologyAssociated Minerals
quartz, feldspar, biotite, magnetiteRarity
commonGeological Context
Zircon is a common accessory mineral in igneous rocks (especially felsic types like granite), metamorphic rocks, and as detrital grains in sedimentary rocks due to its durability. It forms at high temperatures and pressures.
