mineral

Milky quartz fragment

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster with uneven conchoidal fracture; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and specific gravity about 2.65. The cloudy appearance results from microscopic fluid inclusions or fractures.

Identified September 5, 2026More mineral →

Explore Milky quartz fragment in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, pegmatites, and igneous veins, or forms through metamorphic recrystallization. Its exact geological age and locality cannot be determined from the photograph.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and engineered stone; attractive pieces are collected or cut as inexpensive decorative material.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is highly resistant to weathering. This irregular fragment may also be a piece of vein quartz or chalcedony, but the image does not show diagnostic crystals.

Field identification & locations

Look for hardness sufficient to scratch ordinary glass, translucent edges, and absence of cleavage; a steel knife generally will not scratch it. Common in veins, granite, pegmatites, and metamorphic rocks worldwide.