mineral
Milky Quartz with Dendritic Inclusions
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with impurities
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Opaque white to translucent with black manganese/iron oxide inclusions, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Opaque white to translucent with black manganese/iron oxide inclusions, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal, Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed from the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids in veins or pegmatites; the black dendritic spots are mineral inclusions that seeped into fractures during formation.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in lapidary work for cabochons, as tumbled pocket stones, or as decorative landscaping material. High purity quartz is also used in electronics and glass manufacturing.
Geological facts
The milky appearance is caused by tiny fluid or gas bubbles trapped during crystal growth. Dendritic patterns are often mistaken for fossils but are actually inorganic mineral growths.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (scratches glass), waxy luster when polished, and the characteristic branching 'tree-like' patterns of the dark inclusions. Commonly found in riverbeds and mountainous quartz veins worldwide.
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