mineral

White quartz bead strand (likely milky quartz)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂), crystalline silica

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, usually massive rather than visibly crystalline, with no cleavage and conchoidal fracture. The spherical, polished beads are human-processed geological material; internal cloudiness suggests fluid inclusions or fine fractures.

Identified September 20, 2026More mineral →

Explore White quartz bead strand (likely milky quartz) in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz forms in igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal environments throughout Earth’s history, including granites, veins, and quartzites. These beads were cut and polished from milky quartz aggregate.

Uses & applications

Used for jewelry, meditation beads, ornamental objects, and silica-related industrial applications. Common polished strands generally have modest commercial value.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is chemically resistant to weathering. Milky quartz’s opacity commonly results from microscopic fluid inclusions and structural defects.

Field identification & locations

Identify by glassy luster, hardness, lack of cleavage, and inability to scratch with a steel knife; quartz should scratch ordinary glass. Distinguishing milky quartz from white jade, chalcedony, or glass may require a hardness, density, or microscopic test; common sources include Brazil, Madagascar, India, and the United States.