Milky Quartz: A Cloudy White Gem

Milky quartz, often referred to as "snow quartz," "white quartz," or "dairy quartz," is a common variety of quartz known for its opaque, cloudy appearance. Its distinctive milky white hue comes from microscopic inclusions of water or gas trapped within the crystal during formation. These inclusions scatter light, creating the quartz's characteristic cloudy look. The color can range from a faint white to a deep milky white, depending on the concentration of these inclusions. 

Milky quartz occurs in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments, commonly within hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and granitic rocks. Significant deposits are located in the Alps, Brazil, and the United States, including California and Arkansas. The presence of inclusions differentiates it from other quartz varieties, such as smoky quartz or amethyst, which derive their coloration from trace elements or irradiation.

White Milky Quartz Crystals

Milky quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and a specific gravity of 2.65 g/cm³. It exhibits a vitreous to greasy luster and fractures conchoidally due to the absence of cleavage planes. The mineral is piezoelectric and pyroelectric, producing an electric charge when subjected to mechanical stress or temperature variation. It is also porous and permeable, meaning that it can absorb and transmit fluids. Milky quartz is a good thermal conductor, meaning that it can transfer heat quickly.

Milky Quartz: A Cloudy White Gem.