mineral
Milky Quartz with Iron Oxide Weathering
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Goethite/Limonite coatings
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale. White to off-white quartz matrix with yellow, orange, and brownish iron oxide staining. Vitreous to dull luster, hexagonal crystal habit (massive/vein occurrence), uneven to conchoidal fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale. White to off-white quartz matrix with yellow, orange, and brownish iron oxide staining. Vitreous to dull luster, hexagonal crystal habit (massive/vein occurrence), uneven to conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermally active environments as silica-rich fluid filled fractures in host rock. Iron oxides formed later through weathering and groundwater leaching near the surface.
Uses & applications
Used in mineral collections, landscape decoration, and historically crushed as source silica or examined as an indicator rock for precious metal veins like gold.
Geological facts
Vein quartz stained with iron (often called 'rusty quartz') is commonly sought by prospectors because hydrothermal quartz veins frequently host gold and silver mineralization.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), white milky body, and distinct yellowish-brown iron rust staining in cavities and fractures. Commonly found in mountainous and heavily weathered igneous/metamorphic terrains.
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