mineral

Quartz (likely milky quartz or quartz glass-like fragment)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Pale translucent gray-white, vitreous to frosty luster, irregular conchoidal fracture, and no obvious cleavage; Mohs hardness 7, specific gravity about 2.65. The granular, bubbly appearance may indicate heavily fractured quartz, though artificial glass cannot be ruled out from the photo alone.

Identified September 7, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Natural quartz forms in igneous, hydrothermal, and metamorphic environments over a wide range of geological ages; milky varieties contain microscopic fluid inclusions and fractures. If it scratches readily with steel or shows rounded bubbles, it may instead be man-made glass.

Uses & applications

Quartz is used in glass, ceramics, electronics, abrasives, countertops, and ornamental specimens; clear crystals are also used as gemstones. This small rough piece has little commercial value.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and has a characteristic six-sided crystal habit when unobstructed. It commonly breaks with curved, shell-like surfaces rather than along cleavage planes.

Field identification & locations

Common worldwide, including Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and hydrothermal veins. Test cautiously: quartz should scratch ordinary glass and resist a steel knife; a gemological or chemical test is needed to distinguish it confidently from glass.