mineral

Milky Quartz with Tourmaline and Iron Oxides

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Schorl (NaFe3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4)

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) to 7.5 (Tourmaline); Color: White/translucent with black inclusions and rusty brown staining; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal transition; Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Quartz) to 7
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified May 12, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in hydrothermal veins or pegmatites where silica-rich fluids cool and crystallize. The black tourmaline (schorl) indicates a boron-rich environment, often associated with late-stage granitic intrusions.

Uses & applications

Primarily used as a collector specimen or for metaphysical healing purposes. High-purity quartz is used in glassmaking and electronics (piezoelectricity), while tourmaline is used in industrial filtration and jewelry.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Black tourmaline, or schorl, was used as early as the 1400s in mining districts to understand mineral veins. The rusty color is due to the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals (limonite/hematite).

Field identification & locations

Identify by the white glassy appearance of the quartz, the needle-like or fibrous black structures of the tourmaline, and the fact that it cannot be scratched by a steel knife. Common in granitic terrains worldwide.

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