mineral
Quartz (Milky Quartz / Quartzite Pebble)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale bluish-white to milky gray. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale bluish-white to milky gray
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale bluish-white to milky gray. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through crystallisation from magma or precipitation from hydrothermal fluids, often found in pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, or worn by river and beach erosion into rounded pebbles.
Uses & applications
Used widely in glassmaking, ceramics, electronics (piezoelectric applications), abrasives, and as ornamental or gemstone specimens.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is transparent, but impurities or microscopic fluid inclusions create milky or colored varieties like amethyst, rose quartz, and citrine.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass easily, cannot be scratched by a steel knife), lack of cleavage, and glassy to waxy lustre. Extremely common worldwide in riverbeds, gravels, and mountains.
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