mineral
Milky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to opaque, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often hexagonal prisms), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to opaque, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often hexagonal prisms), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or the cooling of magma in igneous rocks; the milky appearance is caused by microscopic fluid inclusions trapped during growth.
Uses & applications
Used widely in glassmaking, abrasives, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as decorative stone or landscaping material.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudiness from tiny bubbles of gas or liquid trapped during its formation millions of years ago.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its white color, inability to be scratched by steel, and lack of cleavage (it breaks like glass). It is found globally in many environments.
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Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
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