mineral
Milky quartz vein fragment
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂), massive or granular variety
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectTypically Mohs hardness 7, white to gray, translucent to opaque, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no cleavage; specific gravity about 2.65. The specimen appears weathered and granular, with possible minor iron staining or attached host rock.
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Physical properties
Typically Mohs hardness 7, white to gray, translucent to opaque, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no cleavage; specific gravity about 2.65. The specimen appears weathered and granular, with possible minor iron staining or attached host rock.
Formation & geological history
Likely precipitated from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids in a fracture, forming a quartz vein; its exact geological age cannot be determined from the image. Quartz veins occur in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary terrains.
Uses & applications
Common quartz has limited collector value and is used as silica feedstock, glass material, abrasives, and engineered stone; clear varieties may be cut as gemstones.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric, producing an electrical charge under pressure. Its apparent cloudy appearance results from microscopic inclusions, fractures, or fluid bubbles.
Field identification & locations
Identify it by hardness—quartz scratches glass and is not scratched by a steel knife—lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture; avoid confusing it with calcite, which is softer and reacts with acid. Common worldwide, especially in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites.
