mineral
Milky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Milky white to tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to tan; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Forms in hydrothermal veins or as a major constituent of igneous rocks like granite and pegmatites. It forms when silica-rich fluids cool and crystallize over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Used in glass manufacturing, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), construction material (aggregate), and as a landscape stone or collector's specimen.
Geological facts
Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from tiny microscopic inclusions of gas and/or liquid trapped during crystal growth. It is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and waxy/vitreous luster. Commonly found in quartz veins and riverbeds worldwide.
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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
![Green Apatite on Albite (Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]) — mineral](https://media.rockidentification.com/2391a63f-fb20-47d5-af9a-2035851eb32e-thumbnail.jpg)
Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
mineral