Specimen at a glance
| Mineral | Quartz (var. milky) |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | SiO2 |
| Mohs hardness | 7 |
| Crystal system | Trigonal |
| Locality | Merrimack County, New Hampshire |
| Form | Lot / parcel |
| You receive | The exact lot pictured |
About this specimen
A nine-piece lot of milky phantom quartz collected from Merrimack County, New Hampshire, a region long known among Northeastern collectors for producing quartz in pegmatite pockets and hydrothermal veins cutting through the area’s granite bedrock. Phantom quartz forms when crystal growth is briefly interrupted — often by a thin coating of clay, chlorite, or other mineral film — before quartz deposition resumes, leaving a ghostly outline of an earlier crystal face suspended inside the finished stone. The milky, cloudy-white appearance typical of this locality comes from countless microscopic fluid inclusions trapped during rapid crystallization, scattering light through the quartz rather than allowing it to pass clearly. Each piece in this lot shows this classic New England milky quartz character, with varied habits from small points to more massive druzy clusters. This is a great lot for someone building a locality-specific New Hampshire collection, a teacher looking for classroom specimens, or a collector who simply enjoys sorting through a varied parcel of natural quartz to find their favorite phantom formations.
Milky quartz: the science
- The white color is not a pigment. It is light scattering off countless microscopic fluid bubbles, the same way foam looks white.
- Phantoms are ghost outlines of an earlier crystal, preserved when growth paused and a thin film of inclusions settled on the old faces.
- New Hampshire’s granite and pegmatite belts are among the classic quartz-collecting regions of New England.
Go deeper
Want the full story on milky quartz: how it forms, how to identify it, and what makes a great specimen?
Questions about this piece
What is milky quartz?
Milky quartz is quartz clouded white by millions of microscopic fluid inclusions, tiny bubbles of liquid and gas trapped as the crystal grew.
Where was it found?
This lot comes from Merrimack County, New Hampshire. We list a locality whenever it is known, because where a mineral formed is part of its story and its value.
How hard is it, and how should I care for it?
It rates 7 on the Mohs scale. Mohs 7 and durable. Rinse in lukewarm water with a soft brush to remove dust and air dry.
Is this the exact lot I will receive?
Yes. This lot was photographed as a group, and you receive the pieces shown.
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