mineral

White Quartz (Milky Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Opaque white to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Opaque white to translucent
Luster: Vitreous to greasy

Identified July 14, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Opaque white to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. It is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust and can be found in rocks of all geological ages.

Uses & applications

Used in the manufacturing of glass and ceramics, as an abrasive in sandblasting, in electronics for its piezoelectric properties, and widely used as a decorative stone or tumbled gemstone.

Geological facts

Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from minute fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its lack of cleavage. Often found in riverbeds, mountain ranges, and within quartz veins in igneous or metamorphic host rocks.