mineral

Milky quartz

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster with irregular fracture and no obvious cleavage; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and specific gravity about 2.65. The cloudy appearance comes from microscopic fluid inclusions or defects.

Identified August 16, 2026More mineral →

Explore Milky quartz in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and cavities in igneous and metamorphic rocks; quartz is common from Precambrian terrains through the present. The pictured piece may also be a weathered vein fragment.

Uses & applications

Used for glass, ceramics, foundry materials, abrasives, engineered stone, and electronics; attractive pieces are sold as inexpensive display or lapidary specimens.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric. Milky quartz commonly occurs with feldspar, mica, metallic sulfides, or other vein minerals.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness, glassy appearance, lack of cleavage, and inability to scratch it with a steel knife while it can scratch ordinary glass; common worldwide, especially in quartz veins and granitic pegmatites.