mineral
Quartz (likely milky quartz or quartz glass-like fragment)
Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectPale 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.
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Physical properties
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.
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.
