mineral

Tumbled quartz (likely milky or iron-stained quartz)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Pale translucent cream to honey-colored, vitreous luster, irregularly tumbled surface, and no obvious cleavage; hardness about 7 Mohs, trigonal crystal system, specific gravity about 2.65. The coloration likely comes from microscopic inclusions or iron staining.

Identified August 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, igneous melts, or metamorphic veins; this piece has been naturally abraded or deliberately tumbled and polished. Quartz is common in the crystalline rocks and mineral veins around the Beaujolais/Lyonnais region, France.

Uses & applications

Used as a durable abrasive, glass and silicon source, construction aggregate, and ornamental or lapidary material. This small specimen has modest decorative or educational value.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is piezoelectric. The image does not show diagnostic crystal faces, so calcite or another pale translucent mineral cannot be excluded without hardness and acid tests.

Field identification & locations

Likely quartz if it scratches glass and does not fizz in dilute hydrochloric acid or vinegar; calcite would be softer and fizz readily in acid. Commonly found in quartz veins, granitic rocks, and metamorphic terrains.