mineral
Milky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 Mohs; Color: White to creamy yellowish-white; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 Mohs
- Color
- White to creamy yellowish-white
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 Mohs; Color: White to creamy yellowish-white; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. The milkiness is caused by minute fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.
Uses & applications
Used in glass manufacturing, as an abrasive, in electronics (though usually clear quartz is preferred), landscaping, and as a common collectible specimen.
Geological facts
Milky quartz is the most common variety of crystalline quartz and it is responsible for the white veins often seen in mountain ranges. Some specimens contain microscopic gold inclusions.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and white opaque appearance. Found globally in almost all geological environments, especially in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites.
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Schist
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Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
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Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
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