mineral

Milky quartz crystal

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7; usually white to translucent with a vitreous luster and hexagonal crystal structure. It has indistinct cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and specific gravity around 2.65; the rusty patches likely represent iron-oxide staining and the dark material may be matrix.

Identified August 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, pegmatites, or cavities in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Its exact geological age and locality cannot be determined from the photograph.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and construction aggregates; attractive crystals are sold as collector specimens and occasionally used in ornamental objects.

Geological facts

The pointed termination and elongated prismatic form are characteristic of quartz, though the photographed specimen appears partly broken or naturally etched.

Field identification & locations

Look for a glassy luster, six-sided prism faces, conchoidal fracture, and inability to scratch it with a steel blade; it should scratch ordinary glass. Common worldwide, especially in Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and alpine regions.