mineral
Likely milky quartz with a blue-gray band
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectWhite to translucent with a glassy blue-gray area and irregular fracture; quartz has Mohs hardness 7, a hexagonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and specific gravity about 2.65. The pictured piece is weathered and its exact identity is uncertain from the image alone.
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Physical properties
White to translucent with a glassy blue-gray area and irregular fracture; quartz has Mohs hardness 7, a hexagonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and specific gravity about 2.65. The pictured piece is weathered and its exact identity is uncertain from the image alone.
Formation & geological history
Quartz commonly forms as silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins and cavities, or in igneous and metamorphic rocks; it occurs across geological ages.
Uses & applications
Quartz is used in glassmaking, electronics, abrasives, and decorative and jewelry specimens.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals; milky appearance typically results from tiny fluid or gas inclusions.
Field identification & locations
Look for hardness sufficient to scratch glass, lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. Common worldwide in veins and many rock types; this small, rough specimen has no diagnostic crystal faces.
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