mineral

Quartz (Milky or Cloudy Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent/cloudy; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

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

Identified March 24, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent/cloudy; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is found in almost every geological environment and age, significantly in igneous rocks like granite and metamorphic rocks like quartzite.

Uses & applications

Used in construction as a component of concrete and mortar; in industry for glassmaking, abrasives, and electronics (due to piezoelectric properties); and as a semiprecious gemstone in jewelry or for metaphysical collecting.

Geological facts

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

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife, its lack of cleavage, and its waxy/glassy appearance. It is found worldwide, especially in mountain ranges and riverbeds. Collectors look for well-defined crystal points.

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