mineral

Milky Quartz

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to opaque (milky) due to fluid inclusions; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White to opaque (milky) due to fluid inclusions
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 23, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or the cooling of pegmatites. It is found in a wide variety of geological environments and can be found in rocks from almost any geological era.

Uses & applications

Used in industrial glassmaking, abrasives, and as a component in ceramics. In jewelry/collecting, it is often used for beads, cabochons, or decorative landscape stone.

Geological facts

Milky quartz is the most common variety of crystalline quartz. Its white color is caused by tiny bubbles of gas or liquid trapped inside the crystal as it grew millions of years ago, which scatter light.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by steel, lack of cleavage, and characteristic 'greasy' appearance on broken surfaces. Found globally in riverbeds, mountains, and quartz veins. Commonly kept by collectors during early stages of hobby growth.