mineral

Milky Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Opaque white to translucent milky white. Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn. Crystal System: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: ~2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Opaque white to translucent milky white
Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn

Identified July 24, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in hydrothermal veins and igneous pegmatites. The white color is caused by microscopic fluid inclusions trapped during crystal growth. River or beach erosion wears down the original crystal into rounded, smooth pebbles.

Uses & applications

Used in landscaping, glassmaking, construction aggregates, lapidary tumbling, and as decorative stone or pocket stones.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from tiny gas or liquid bubbles trapped inside when the mineral formed millions of years ago.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass easily, cannot be scratched by a steel knife), lack of cleavage, milky white color, and smooth rounded pebble texture from stream transport. Commonly found along riverbeds, beaches, and gravel pits worldwide.