mineral

Milky quartz vein rock

Quartz, SiO₂; likely massive quartz with minor iron-oxide and host-rock material

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to gray, translucent massive quartz with vitreous to sugary luster; Mohs hardness 7, no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, trigonal crystal structure, and specific gravity about 2.65. Brown and reddish staining likely reflects iron oxides or weathered matrix.

Identified September 1, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed when silica-rich hydrothermal fluids filled fractures and cavities in older country rock, later cooling into massive quartz veins; its exact geologic age cannot be determined from the image. Weathering exposed the resistant quartz at the surface.

Uses & applications

Used as silica feedstock for glass, ceramics, abrasives, and engineered stone; attractive pieces are collected as mineral specimens, though this rough material is generally not gem quality.

Geological facts

Milky opacity results from microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, and impurities rather than a different quartz mineral. Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant and chemically resistant minerals.

Field identification & locations

Identify by hardness, lack of cleavage, glassy fracture, and inability to scratch it with a steel knife; streak is white. Common in hydrothermal veins worldwide, especially in granitic and metamorphic terrains.