- 2064 Jestha (old course) · 2 marks
Why quartz is the most resistant mineral
Short answer
Quartz has a strong three-dimensional framework of Si-O covalent bonds, giving hardness 7 and high chemical stability. It has no cleavage, breaking with conchoidal fracture, so no planes of weakness exist for weathering, allowing it to persist as sand grains.
Mention two points to clarify why quartz is the most resistant mineral.
- Strong chemical structure: quartz is made of SiO₂ in a three-dimensional framework of strong Si-O covalent bonds, giving high hardness (7) and chemical stability; it hardly reacts with water or weak acids.
- No cleavage: quartz breaks with a conchoidal fracture, with no planes of weakness along which weathering and disintegration can start. Hence it remains as sand grains when other minerals weather to clay.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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