mineral
Milky Quartz
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to tan with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Milky white to tan with iron staining
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to tan with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from hydrothermal solutions or cooling magma in veins and pegmatites. The milky appearance is caused by tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, abrasives, semiconductor industry (silicon source), construction aggregate, and as a collector's mineral or lapidary material.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz is often associated with gold-bearing hydrothermal veins in many mining districts.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and characteristic milky opaqueness. It is found globally in almost all geological environments.
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