mineral

Milky quartz with iron-oxide staining

Quartz (SiO₂), massive variety; minor hematite/goethite staining

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster with irregular fracture and no obvious cleavage; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and specific gravity about 2.65. Orange-yellow surface patches are likely iron oxides.

Identified September 6, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed when silica-rich hydrothermal fluids crystallized in fractures or veins, with later oxidation producing the rusty coating. Exact geological age cannot be determined from the photograph; quartz veins occur in rocks of nearly all ages.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and engineered stone; attractive pieces are collected or used as cabinet specimens, but this rough fragment has little jewelry value.

Geological facts

Milky quartz gets its cloudiness from microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or impurities. Iron staining can develop during weathering long after the quartz formed.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its hardness—quartz scratches ordinary glass and steel—lack of cleavage, and white translucent appearance; a streak test is white. Common worldwide in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and metamorphic rocks.