mineral

Milky Quartz with Iron Inclusions

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide - SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent white to milky (due to fluid bubbles); Luster: Vitreous/Glassy to Greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent white to milky (due to fluid bubbles)
Luster: Vitreous/Glassy to Greasy

Identified June 2, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling and crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids in veins or pegmatites. It is found in geological environments ranging from billions of years old to relatively recent volcanic deposits.

Uses & applications

Used widely in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, construction aggregates, and semi-precious jewelry (lapidary work).

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its appearance from tiny trapped gas or liquid bubbles that formed during the crystal's growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel blade, its waxy-to-glassy luster, and lack of cleavage. Often found in riverbeds or as veins in bedrock worldwide.

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