mineral

Milky Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Cloudy white to pale yellowish; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Cloudy white to pale yellowish
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified July 1, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Cloudy white to pale yellowish; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal fluids. The milky appearance is caused by microscopic fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.

Uses & applications

Used in glass manufacturing, as an abrasive, in electronic oscillators (if high purity), and popular as a decorative stone in landscaping or as a collector's specimen.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz is the most common variety of crystalline quartz found in nature.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic waxy or vitreous luster. Often found in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites.