mineral

Quartz (Milky Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: White, milky, sometimes clear or grayish. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal Structure: Trigonal. Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture. Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: White, milky, sometimes clear or grayish
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified July 30, 2026More mineral →

Explore Quartz (Milky Quartz) in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in a wide variety of geological environments, commonly precipitating from hydrothermal solutions or crystallizing from silica-rich magma and pegmatites. Found globally across all geological eras.

Uses & applications

Used in electronics, oscillators, glassmaking, abrasive materials, gemstone carving, and mineral specimen collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from microscopic liquid or gas inclusions trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified in the field by its high hardness (scratches glass), conchoidal fracture, and lack of cleavage. Ubiquitous in sandy soils, riverbeds, and quartz veins.