This list covers 19 geological features that start with Q, from “Qattara Depression” to “Quartz sand.” It includes desert basins, high plateaus, volcanic lakes, rocks, minerals and fault lines found across the world. Many of them matter for water supply, mining, construction, climate research and travel.

Geological features are natural landforms, rocks, minerals and structures that make up the Earth’s surface and the ground beneath it. They form over thousands or even millions of years through forces like volcanic activity, erosion and the movement of tectonic plates. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, for example, is called the “Roof of the World” and feeds many of Asia’s great rivers.

Below you’ll find the table with the feature, region, characteristics and description for each entry.

Feature: The name of each geological feature, listed in alphabetical order so you can quickly find a specific landform, rock or mineral.

Region: Where in the world you can find each feature, from a single country to places that exist on every continent.

Characteristics: A short summary of the main traits of each feature, which helps you compare them and see what they have in common.

Description: A plain-language explanation of what each feature is, how it formed and why it stands out, with key facts and figures.

Geological features

FeatureRegionCharacteristics
Qattara DepressionEgypt, North AfricaDesert basin, below sea level
Qaidam BasinChina, Central AsiaHigh-altitude basin, salt lakes
Qinghai-Tibet PlateauChina, Central AsiaHighest plateau, glaciers
Qilian MountainsChina, Central AsiaMountain range, glaciers
QuiraingIsle of Skye, ScotlandLandslip, basalt pinnacles
QuilotoaEcuador, South AmericaVolcanic caldera, crater lake
Quelccaya Ice CapPeru, South AmericaTropical ice cap, retreating
QuicksandWorldwideSaturated sand, loses firmness
Quick clayScandinavia, CanadaMarine clay, landslide-prone
Quartz veinWorldwideMineral deposit, fracture-filled
QuartziteWorldwideMetamorphic rock, very hard
Quartz crystalWorldwideMineral, six-sided crystals
Quartz porphyryWorldwideIgneous rock, large crystals
Quartz areniteWorldwideSedimentary rock, pure sandstone
Quartz MountainOklahoma, United StatesGranite mountains, rounded boulders
QuebradaSouth America, AndesNarrow ravine, seasonal stream
Queen Charlotte FaultBritish Columbia and Alaska, North AmericaStrike-slip fault, earthquake zone
QuarryWorldwideExcavated rock pit, human-made
Quartz sandWorldwideLoose grains, beaches and dunes

Descriptions

Qattara Depression
A huge desert basin in Egypt’s Western Desert, with its lowest point about 133 meters (436 feet) below sea level. Salt marshes and soft sands make it hard to cross.
Qaidam Basin
A large, arid basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, sitting about 2,700 to 3,000 meters above sea level. It holds salt lakes, salt flats and large mineral deposits.
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
The world’s highest and largest plateau, often called the “Roof of the World.” It feeds many of Asia’s great rivers and holds the largest ice reserves outside the polar regions.
Qilian Mountains
A mountain range on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Its glaciers and snowmelt supply rivers that water the oases of the Hexi Corridor.
Quiraing
A dramatic landslip on the Trotternish Ridge, with towering rock spires and cliffs. It is still slowly moving, which gives it its jagged, otherworldly look.
Quilotoa
A water-filled volcanic caldera in the Andes, formed by a huge eruption several hundred years ago. Its green crater lake sits about 3,900 meters above sea level.
Quelccaya Ice Cap
The largest tropical ice cap in the world, high in the Peruvian Andes. Its ice layers hold climate records going back about 1,800 years, and it is shrinking quickly.
Quicksand
A mix of sand and water that behaves like a liquid when disturbed. It looks like solid ground but gives way under weight, usually in riverbanks, beaches and marshes.
Quick clay
A clay that was deposited in the sea and later lifted above it. It can suddenly turn from solid to liquid when disturbed, causing large landslides.
Quartz vein
A sheet-like body of quartz that forms when hot, mineral-rich water fills cracks in rock and cools. Some veins also carry gold and other valuable metals.
Quartzite
A very hard rock formed when sandstone is heated and squeezed deep in the Earth. It resists weathering, so it often forms ridges, cliffs and mountain tops.
Quartz crystal
A common mineral made of silicon and oxygen that grows in six-sided crystals. It forms in cavities and veins and is found in almost every type of rock environment.
Quartz porphyry
A volcanic or shallow igneous rock with large quartz crystals set in a fine-grained base. It forms when magma cools in two stages, first slowly and then quickly.
Quartz arenite
A sandstone made almost entirely of quartz grains. It forms from sand that has been worn down and reworked over a long time, leaving only the toughest mineral behind.
Quartz Mountain
A range of rounded granite hills in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma. The pink rock is about 500 million years old.
Quebrada
A steep, narrow valley or gully cut by a stream, common in the Andes and nearby arid regions. Many only carry water during the rainy season.
Queen Charlotte Fault
A major fault off the Pacific coast of Canada and Alaska where the Pacific and North American plates slide past each other. It has caused large earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.8 quake in 2012.
Quarry
An open pit where stone, sand or gravel is dug out of the ground. Old quarries often expose layers of rock and fossils, and many fill with water to form lakes.
Quartz sand
Sand made mostly of quartz, the most common mineral grains found on beaches, in dunes and along rivers. It is tough, so it outlasts softer minerals that wear away.
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.