mineral
Milky quartz
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectMohs hardness 7; white to translucent with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and irregular conchoidal fracture. Trigonal crystal structure; no cleavage. The pictured rough fragment appears quartz-like, though identification from the image alone is uncertain.
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness 7; white to translucent with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and irregular conchoidal fracture. Trigonal crystal structure; no cleavage. The pictured rough fragment appears quartz-like, though identification from the image alone is uncertain.
Formation & geological history
Forms when silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins and cavities, or as grains in many rock types. Quartz occurs in rocks of many ages, from ancient crust to recent deposits.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, electronics, abrasives, and as a common decorative and collecting mineral.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric, producing an electrical charge under pressure.
Field identification & locations
Look for glassy translucence, hardness sufficient to scratch glass, and lack of cleavage. Common worldwide in veins, pegmatites, and stream gravels; this small, unverified fragment has little diagnostic context.
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Metamorphic
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
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Tumbled granite
Granite, a coarse-grained felsic intrusive igneous rock
igneous
Pegmatite with Tourmaline and Quartz
Igneous Pegmatite
igneous
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Granite
Granite (Phaneritic intrusive igneous rock)
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