Nether Quartz Ore

A Nether Quartz Ore is an ore only available in the Nether and is the only ore currently located there. It was added in the 1.5 Redstone Update. When mined with any pickaxe, it drops a Nether Quartz crystal, which can be used to make a Comparator, Daylight Sensor or a Block of Quartz. Like Coal, Redstone, Diamond, Emerald and Lapis Lazuli Ore, Nether Quartz Ore drops experience when mined, and works with both Fortune and Silk Touch enchantments. Mining the ore without the use of a Fortune enchantment will drop one piece of Nether Quartz.

Nether Quartz may seem to be very common, but is actually about as abundant as iron in the overworld. It simply appears to be more abundant because you can see more exposed surface area compared to caves in the overworld. This makes it a very easy task to find the ore. It is also available at any layer. There is an average of roughly 133 ores per chunk.

As a smelting ingredient
Please note that a Nether Quartz ore itself can only be obtained by a Pickaxe with the Silk Touch enchantment.

Trivia

 * Nether Quartz Ore is the first and currently only ore available in the Nether.
 * This is the first ore in which the texture isn't based upon Stone; it is based upon Netherrack.
 * It has large thick stripes on it rather than the usual dots or small stripes design that other ores have.
 * Unlike Netherrack, fire does not infinitely burn on Nether Quartz Ore.
 * Despite being modeled after Netherrack, Nether Quartz Ore has the same blast resistance as other ores. Additionally, the Nether Quartz Block has a blast resistance of 4, while Netherrack has a blast resistance of 2. But for some reason, despite being apparently made of netherrack and quartz, its blast resistance is much higher, being 15.
 * Due to its high XP orb drop rate it is commonly farmed for quick leveling. Currently it is faster than mob farms at gaining quick levels. However, unlike mob farms, it can't be done over and over.
 * Nether Quartz Ore and Emerald Ore are the only biome specific ore.
 * Nether Quartz Ore is the only ore to have more than one ore specific block (block of Nether Quartz and it's variants).

Gallery
Netherquarz (Erz) Mena de cuarzo Quartz du Nether (minerai) Ruda kwarcu Кварц Нижнего мира (руда) 下界石英矿石