mineral

Cloudy Quartz

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent white to milky; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent white to milky
Luster: Vitreous/glassy

Identified March 1, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent white to milky; Luster: Vitreous/glassy; 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. The cloudy appearance comes from microscopic inclusions of fluids or gas trapped during crystal growth. Found in various geological ages worldwide.

Uses & applications

Used in glassmaking, grit for sandpaper, and as a component in ceramics. In gemology, it is often tumbled for pocket stones or used in costume jewelry. It is also used in the manufacturing of oscillators for watches and electronics.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky or cloudy quartz gets its white color from tiny bubbles of gas or liquid trapped during the crystal's formation billions of years ago.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass and lack of cleavage. Often found as rounded pebbles in stream beds or as veins in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Collectors should look for unique inclusions or crystalline shapes.