mineral

Milky Quartz Pebbles

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Translucent white to pale yellow; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (especially when water-worn); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Translucent white to pale yellow
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (especially when water-worn)

Identified July 5, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments. These specific specimens are alluvial or river-worn pebbles, shaped by hydraulic erosion over hundreds to thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used in construction as decorative aggregate, in landscaping, and as a source of silica for glass manufacturing and electronics. Common in beginner rock tumbling and lapidary workshops.

Geological facts

Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from microscopic inclusions of fluids or gas trapped during the crystal's growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), waxy luster when wet, and lack of cleavage. Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial deposits.