mineral
Milky Quartz Pebble
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to off-white/cream; Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White to off-white/cream
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy when water-worn
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to off-white/cream; Luster: Vitreous to waxy when water-worn; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal veins or within igneous and metamorphic rocks. This specific specimen is a water-worn river or beach pebble, shaped by thousands of years of mechanical erosion.
Uses & applications
Used fundamentally in glass making, electronics (piezoelectric properties), and as decorative landscaping gravel or tumbled stones.
Geological facts
Milky quartz gets its cloudy white appearance from tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth. It is the most common variety of crystalline quartz on Earth.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and white color. It is found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and mountain trails.
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