mineral
Milky quartz
Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectTypically white to translucent with a vitreous-to-greasy luster; Mohs hardness 7, no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and hexagonal crystal structure. The specimen appears massive and rough, with minor dark inclusions or surface contamination.
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Physical properties
Typically white to translucent with a vitreous-to-greasy luster; Mohs hardness 7, no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and hexagonal crystal structure. The specimen appears massive and rough, with minor dark inclusions or surface contamination.
Formation & geological history
Forms when silica-rich fluids crystallize in veins, cavities, and igneous or metamorphic rocks; milky color results from microscopic fluid inclusions and fractures. Quartz is common from Precambrian to modern geological settings.
Uses & applications
Used in glass, ceramics, engineered stone, electronics, abrasives, and decorative objects; attractive pieces are collected but this rough specimen is unlikely to be jewelry grade.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric, producing an electrical potential when mechanically stressed.
Field identification & locations
Identify by hardness— it scratches ordinary glass but not readily with a steel nail—plus its white translucency, lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. Common worldwide, especially in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and quartz-rich metamorphic rocks.