mineral

Quartz (Milky/Smoky variety)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent to white with grayish/brownish smokey patches; Luster: Vitreous (glassy); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent to white with grayish/brownish smokey patches
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified March 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the cooling of silica-rich magma or through hydrothermal activity in veins. This specimen likely originated in a pegmatite or hydrothermal vein, which can date from any geological era ranging from the Precambrian to Cenozoic.

Uses & applications

Industrial uses include glassmaking and electronics (piezoelectric properties). In jewelry, it is used for beads and cabochons. It is a staple for mineral collectors and is often used in metaphysical practices.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is colorless, but impurities and natural radiation create varieties like the smoky and milky portions seen in this piece.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it should easily scratch glass) and lack of cleavage (it breaks like glass in curved chips). Commonly found in granite-rich mountain ranges and stream beds globally.

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