mineral
Milky Quartz with Iron Inclusions
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Hematite/Limonite
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Opaque white with reddish-brown veins; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Opaque white with reddish-brown veins
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Opaque white with reddish-brown veins; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed from hydrothermal solutions or within pegmatites as cooling magma releases silica-rich fluids into cracks. The reddish veins are caused by the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals that filled fractures at a later stage.
Uses & applications
Used as an abrasive, in glass making, as a source of silicon, and for decorative landscaping or lapidary collection.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is clear, but tiny gas/fluid bubbles trapped during formation create the 'milky' white appearance.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its white color, inability to be scratched by a steel pocketknife, and lack of cleavage. It is ubiquitous in mountainous and volcanic regions worldwide.
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