mineral
Quartz (Milky or Cloudy)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to off-white/yellowish; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (hexagonal prisms); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White to off-white/yellowish
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to off-white/yellowish; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (hexagonal prisms); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. Milky quartz specifically contains microscopic fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, abrasives, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as decorative gravel or gemstones.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth's crust. Milky quartz is the most common variety of crystalline quartz found in nature.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. It is ubiquitous in riverbeds, mountains, and as veins in other rock types globally.
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