mineral

Milky Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White to translucent
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified March 23, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes, cooling of magma in igneous intrusions, or as deposits in sedimentary environments. Common throughout all geological ages, typically found in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites.

Uses & applications

Used in the glass and ceramics industry, as a flux in metallurgy, in construction as aggregate, and occasionally in jewelry (tumbled stones) or as decorative landscaping stone.

Geological facts

Milky Quartz gets its white opacity from microscopic fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during the crystal's growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz found on Earth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it will easily scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. It is found globally, often emerging as 'float' on the surface of the ground near quartz veins in metamorphic or igneous terrains.