mineral
White Quartz (Milky Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- White to translucent
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from the crystallization of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal fluids. Commonly found in veins within metamorphic and igneous rocks, often dating from various geological eras.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, grit for sandpaper, electronics (as a piezoelectric material), jewelry (as cabochons or tumbled stones), and quartz countertops.
Geological facts
Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from minute fluid inclusions of gas and/or liquid trapped during crystal growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and common occurrence in riverbeds as rounded pebbles. It is ubiquitous globally.
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