mineral
Milky Quartz with Iron Staining
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Opaque white with reddish-brown iron oxide streaks; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Opaque white with reddish-brown iron oxide streaks
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Opaque white with reddish-brown iron oxide streaks; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids cooling in veins or as a major constituent of pegmatites. The reddish staining is caused by secondary iron oxide minerals (like hematite or goethite) leaching into cracks.
Uses & applications
Informal landscaping, glass manufacturing, electronics (due to piezoelectricity), and as a decorative specimen for beginner collectors.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from microscopic fluid inclusions trapped during crystal growth.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its inability to be scratched by steel, its lack of cleavage planes, and its waxy/glassy appearance. It is ubiquitous in mountainous and volcanic regions worldwide.
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