mineral

Quartz (Milky Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to cream due to microscopic fluid inclusions; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to cream due to microscopic fluid inclusions
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy

Identified March 29, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the crystallization of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It can be found in a wide variety of geological environments ranging from igneous plutons to metamorphic schists and sedimentary gravels.

Uses & applications

Used in the glass and ceramics industry, as an abrasive, in electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), and occasionally as a decorative landscape stone or minor gemstone.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. 'Milky quartz' gets its cloudy appearance from tiny gas bubbles or liquid trapped during the crystal's formation.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (H=7), lack of cleavage, and characteristic waxy/glassy look. It is commonly found globally in riverbeds, mountains, and desert pavements.