mineral

Quartz-rich rock, possibly milky quartz

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂), possibly in a quartzite or weathered host rock

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

White to pale gray, opaque, with a dull-to-glassy luster and irregular fracture; quartz hardness is 7 Mohs, lacks cleavage, and has specific gravity about 2.65. The rough brown-gray edges suggest attached weathered matrix, so the specimen is not identifiable as pure quartz from the image alone.

Identified September 20, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich fluids or magma and may also form through metamorphism; individual quartz grains commonly range from ancient Precambrian to much younger ages. The specimen’s exact geological setting and age cannot be determined visually.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and engineered stone; attractive clear or well-crystallized pieces are collected or cut as gemstones. This rough fragment has little commercial value.

Geological facts

Milky quartz is white because microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or impurities scatter light. Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant and chemically durable minerals.

Field identification & locations

Check for glassy fracture, no obvious cleavage, and inability to scratch it with a steel knife; it should scratch ordinary glass. Common in veins, granite, pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, and stream gravels.