mineral

Milky Quartz Pebble

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to yellow-buff; Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (though massive in this specimen); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Creamy white to yellow-buff
Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn

Identified June 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed primarily from hydrothermal solutions or the cooling of silica-rich magma (pegmatites). This specimen is a water-worn or weathered fragment, likely millions of years old, transported by water or glaciers.

Uses & applications

Used at scale in glassmaking, abrasives, and as decorative landscaping gravel. In jewelry, it is occasionally tumbled for beads. Historically used for making stone tools.

Geological facts

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

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage, and its waxy luster. Common in river beds, beaches, and soil worldwide. This specific piece shows iron staining (the yellow tint).