Snow Quartz
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
An opaque, snow-white variety of quartz whose milky color comes from countless tiny gas and fluid inclusions.
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Color
- Opaque white to cloudy translucent
- Type
- crystal
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Overview
Snow quartz is an opaque white variety of quartz prized for its soft, frosted, snow-like appearance. The term overlaps heavily with milky quartz, and many sellers use the names interchangeably.
Its whiteness comes from vast numbers of microscopic inclusions of gas, water (fluid inclusions), and tiny mineral particles that scatter light, masking quartz's normal transparency.
It is one of the most common and affordable quartz varieties, popular for tumbled stones, beads, and carvings where a pure white look is desired.
Formation & geology
Like all quartz, snow quartz forms from silica-rich solutions crystallizing in veins, cavities, and pegmatites. The cloudiness develops when crystals grow relatively quickly or under fluctuating conditions, trapping abundant fluid and gas inclusions.
Massive milky/snow quartz is extremely widespread, forming the bulk of many hydrothermal quartz veins worldwide, often as the gangue mineral hosting gold and other ore minerals.
Major sources include Brazil, Madagascar, India, the United States, and essentially any region with quartz veins.
How to identify it
Look for opaque to translucent white stone with a hardness of 7 (scratches glass and steel) and a glassy to greasy luster on fresh surfaces. The streak is white.
It has no cleavage and breaks with the conchoidal fracture typical of quartz. Crystals are hexagonal when present, though most snow quartz is massive.
Look-alikes: White marble and calcite are far softer (3) and fizz in acid. White howlite is softer (3.5) with grey veining. Milky quartz is essentially the same material; "snow quartz" sometimes implies a slightly more granular, fully opaque texture.
Uses & significance
Snow quartz is used for beads, tumbled stones, cabochons, spheres, and carvings, offering a clean white look at low cost. It is durable enough for most jewelry.
Massive milky quartz also has industrial relevance as a source of silica and is a familiar vein mineral that prospectors associate with gold-bearing systems.
Metaphysically it is marketed as a calming, balancing "gentle" version of clear quartz, said to support clarity and harmony, though such claims are spiritual rather than scientific.
Frequently asked questions
Is snow quartz the same as milky quartz?
Essentially yes. Both are opaque white quartz colored by tiny inclusions; "snow quartz" is often a marketing name for the same material.
Why is snow quartz white instead of clear?
Countless microscopic gas and fluid inclusions scatter light inside the stone, making it appear milky white rather than transparent.
Is snow quartz valuable?
It is common and inexpensive, valued more for its decorative white appearance than for rarity or gem value.
How hard is snow quartz?
It is a 7 on the Mohs scale, the same as all quartz, so it is durable and scratches glass.
Snow Quartz guides
In-depth guides for identifying, valuing, and understanding Snow Quartz.
Snow Quartz identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Rock Identifier.
