mineral

Milky quartz with iron-stained mica

Quartz (SiO₂), likely intergrown with muscovite and minor iron oxides

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to translucent, glassy-to-pearly luster, massive and coarse-grained with sparkly platy mica; quartz hardness 7, mica about 2–3, no obvious cleavage in quartz but mica has perfect basal cleavage. Specific gravity is approximately 2.65 for quartz.

Identified September 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

A natural hydrothermal vein or pegmatitic specimen, probably formed when silica-rich fluids or magma crystallized in fractures; exact geological age cannot be determined from the image. Iron oxidation produced the yellow-brown staining.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and construction aggregate; attractive pieces are collected as mineral specimens, though this example is generally not gem-grade.

Geological facts

The glittering flakes are likely muscovite (“mica”), while the massive white material is milky quartz. The specimen may also contain feldspar, but visual identification alone is uncertain.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness, irregular quartz fracture, translucent edges, and mica flakes that peel into thin sheets; common in granitic pegmatites and quartz veins worldwide. A steel file should scratch mica but not quartz.