mineral

Tumbled white quartz (likely milky quartz)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7; white to translucent with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no visible cleavage. It has a trigonal crystal structure, though tumbling has rounded and obscured crystal faces.

Identified August 26, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness 7; white to translucent with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and no visible cleavage. It has a trigonal crystal structure, though tumbling has rounded and obscured crystal faces.

Formation & geological history

Forms when silica-rich fluids crystallize in igneous, metamorphic, or hydrothermal settings; individual quartz grains may range from Precambrian to recent. The smooth shape indicates human tumbling and polishing.

Uses & applications

Used as a lapidary stone, ornament, paperweight, and inexpensive jewelry material; quartz is also important in glass, ceramics, electronics, and construction aggregate.

Geological facts

Milky color results from microscopic fluid inclusions, fractures, or defects scattering light. The image alone cannot distinguish milky quartz confidently from white calcite, chalcedony, or another pale tumbled stone.

Field identification & locations

Common worldwide, especially in quartz veins, granites, pegmatites, and metamorphic rocks. Test with a steel file or glass: quartz should scratch glass and resist a steel blade; vinegar fizzing would suggest calcite instead.