mineral

Cloudy Quartz

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-tan to milky white with opaque inclusions; Luster: Vitreous to greasy when unpolished; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pinkish-tan to milky white with opaque inclusions
Luster: Vitreous to greasy when unpolished

Identified March 29, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. This massive variety lacks clear external crystal faces because it grew in a confined space among other minerals. It is common throughout all geological eras.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as decorative stone, aquarium gravel, or landscaping material. Higher purity quartz is used in glass making and electronics (piezoelectric properties).

Geological facts

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

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (hardness 7) and its lack of cleavage planes. Found globally in granitic rocks and riverbeds as water-worn pebbles.