mineral

Milky Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: Cloudy white to pale cream/beige; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often massive in specimens); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale
Color: Cloudy white to pale cream/beige
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified January 7, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from silicon-rich hydrothermal fluids cooling in veins or within pegmatites. The milky appearance is caused by tiny inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth. They are found in all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, as an abrasive, in decorative landscaping, and as a semi-precious stone for lapidary work and metaphysical collections.

Geological facts

Milky Quartz is one of the most common mineral varieties on the Earth's surface. Large specimens can weigh several tons, and the white color is technically a result of 'Mie scattering' within the micro-bubbles.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its 7 hardness (scratches glass but not steel) and waxy luster when polished. Common in riverbeds and mountainous terrain. Its lack of cleavage produces shell-like fractures when broken.