mineral

Milky quartz (likely quartz fragment)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Typically hardness 7 Mohs, white to translucent, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no cleavage; it has a hexagonal crystal structure, though this fragment appears irregular and weathered.

Identified August 23, 2026More mineral →

Explore Milky quartz (likely 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

Typically hardness 7 Mohs, white to translucent, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no cleavage; it has a hexagonal crystal structure, though this fragment appears irregular and weathered.

Formation & geological history

Forms when silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins, cavities, and igneous or metamorphic rocks. Quartz is common from Precambrian through modern geological settings and cannot be age-dated reliably from appearance alone.

Uses & applications

Used in glass, ceramics, electronics, engineered stone, abrasives, and construction aggregate; attractive specimens are collected but this piece appears low-grade.

Geological facts

Milky color results mainly from microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or defects that scatter light. Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant and chemically resistant minerals.

Field identification & locations

Common worldwide, especially in granite, pegmatite, hydrothermal veins, and river gravels. Confirm with a glass-scratch test (quartz scratches ordinary glass), but avoid testing valuable specimens; the image alone cannot exclude calcite or pale chalcedony.