mineral

Milky Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to tan with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White to tan with iron staining
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified July 19, 2026More mineral →

Explore Milky Quartz Pebble in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to tan with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed in hydrothermal veins or as a primary constituent of granitic pegmatites. This specific specimen is a water-worn or weathered pebble likely sourced from a fluvial or glacial deposit.

Uses & applications

Used in glass making, as an abrasive, in electronics (piezoelectric properties), and frequently as landscaping gravel or for lapidary tumbling.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and translucent to opaque white color. Found globally in almost all geological environments.