Definition
Quartz is a hard, transparent, white, or colored mineral with chemical formula SiO2 (trigonal crystal system) and the hardness 7 in the Mohs hardness scale. It is an essential component of felsic intrusive (granitoid) or volcanic (rhyolite) rocks and their metamorphic equivalents. Because of its hardness, common occurrence in the protoliths, and lack of cleavage, it is highly resistant to weathering, erosion, and transport. It is therefore the most common mineral grain in sediments and sedimentary rocks.
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Arndt, N. (2015). Quartz. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1324
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1324
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