mineral
Milky Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Milky white to translucent, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Milky white to translucent, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within magma cooling at depth. This specific piece is a river-worn or water-eroded pebble, likely thousands to millions of years old, weathered out of a quartz vein.
Uses & applications
Source of silicon for electronics, used as an abrasive, in decorative grit/landscaping, and for lapidary tumbling.
Geological facts
Milky quartz gets its white color from tiny bubbles of gas or liquid trapped during the crystal's formation. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz on Earth.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), white color, and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial till, and mountainous regions worldwide.
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Metamorphic
Epidote
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metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
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Mineral
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Mineral/Rock
Granite
Granite (Phaneritic intrusive igneous rock)
igneous