mineral

Milky quartz fragment

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Typically white to translucent with a vitreous-to-waxy luster, hardness 7 Mohs, no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and hexagonal crystal structure; specific gravity about 2.65. The rounded edges suggest weathering or human tumbling, though the surface appears naturally broken.

Identified September 11, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms when silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins, cavities, and igneous or metamorphic rocks; milky appearance results from microscopic fluid inclusions. Quartz is common from Precambrian rocks through modern sediments, and this loose fragment cannot be dated directly.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in glass, ceramics, electronics, abrasives, engineered stone, and construction aggregate; attractive milky pieces are inexpensive collector specimens but rarely jewelry-grade.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric. Its lack of cleavage and glass-scratching hardness are useful diagnostic traits.

Field identification & locations

Found worldwide in veins, granite, pegmatite, quartzite, and stream or glacial gravel. It should scratch ordinary glass but not be scratched by a steel knife; acid produces no fizz.