mineral
Tumbled white quartz (likely milky quartz)
Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 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.
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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.
