mineral
Milky quartz pebble
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, massive microcrystalline structure, and no cleavage with uneven fracture. The rounded form and surface wear indicate natural transport or tumbling.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, massive microcrystalline structure, and no cleavage with uneven fracture. The rounded form and surface wear indicate natural transport or tumbling.
Formation & geological history
Formed when silica-rich fluids crystallized in veins or pegmatites, commonly during Precambrian to younger geological events; this specimen was likely weathered from quartz-rich rock and rounded in sediment.
Uses & applications
Used in glass, ceramics, engineered stone, abrasives, electronics, and construction aggregate; attractive pieces are collected but this example has modest gem value.
Geological facts
Milky appearance results from microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or dispersed impurities that scatter light. Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant and chemically resistant minerals.
Field identification & locations
Identify it by its glassy appearance, lack of cleavage, conchoidal-to-uneven fracture, and resistance to scratching by steel; it should scratch ordinary glass. Common in quartz veins, granitic terrains, stream gravels, and beaches.
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Epidote
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Pegmatite with Tourmaline and Quartz
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Granite
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Septarian Pebble
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