mineral
Milky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent Milky, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent Milky, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (Trigonal), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal solutions in veins. It is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments globally, ranging from billions of years old to relatively recent deposits.
Uses & applications
Used as a gemstone in necklaces and carvings, in glassmaking, as an abrasive, and in the electronics industry due to its piezoelectric properties.
Geological facts
Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from tiny fluid or gas bubbles trapped during the crystal's growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and white 'milky' color. Commonly found as pebbles in river beds or as massive veins in mountain ranges.
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Arenite (SiO2 based)
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Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
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Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
mineral
Epidote
Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)
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