mineral

Tumbled milky quartz

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, and typically massive rather than visibly crystalline. It has no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and specific gravity about 2.65.

Identified September 21, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, and typically massive rather than visibly crystalline. It has no cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and specific gravity about 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Forms when microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or impurities cloud otherwise clear quartz, commonly in hydrothermal veins and igneous rocks. The pictured piece is human-tumbled and polished; quartz is geologically widespread from Precambrian to modern deposits.

Uses & applications

Used as a decorative stone, lapidary material, carving stock, and inexpensive jewelry or healing-crystal specimen; quartz also has major industrial uses in glass, ceramics, electronics, and abrasives.

Geological facts

The cloudy appearance is usually caused by fluid inclusions or microscopic defects, not a separate mineral. Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant and chemically durable minerals.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its glassy feel, lack of cleavage, white translucency, and ability to scratch ordinary glass; a steel blade should not scratch it. Common sources include Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and many vein deposits worldwide.