Specimen at a glance
| Mineral | Quartz (var. milky) |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | SiO2 |
| Mohs hardness | 7 |
| Crystal system | Trigonal |
| Locality | New Hampshire |
| Form | Raw / rough |
| You receive | The exact specimen pictured |
About this specimen
Milky quartz is ordinary quartz (SiO₂) whose cloudy-white color comes from countless microscopic fluid and gas inclusions trapped during crystal growth, which scatter light instead of letting it pass through clearly the way transparent quartz does. This specimen comes from a New Hampshire pegmatite — a coarse-grained igneous rock that crystallizes slowly from water-rich magma, which is why pegmatites often produce unusually large, well-formed crystals. New Hampshire earned its “Granite State” nickname from bedrock like this, and its pegmatites have been worked for more than a century for quartz, feldspar, mica, and gem minerals like beryl and tourmaline.
This piece shows the classic cloudy-white color and blocky crystal habit typical of the locality. Quartz rates 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it holds up well to normal handling; a soft, dry cloth is all it needs to keep its surface clean.
A solid, affordable way to add a New Hampshire locality piece to a regional or quartz-focused mineral collection.
Inside the Quartz Crystal
One mineral species, a thousand looks — quartz is the shape-shifter of the mineral world.
The story: Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust, and it crystallizes in nearly every rock-forming environment on the planet — which is exactly why it shows up in this shop as clear points, milky clusters, smoky towers, ghostly phantoms, and druzy-crusted matrix, all built from the same simple formula.
Why collectors chase it: Because one species covers this much ground: a single collection can hold a dozen genuinely different-looking quartz pieces without ever repeating a mineral. Phantom growth lines, smoky color zoning, and druzy crusts each record a different chapter of how that particular crystal grew.
Care: Quartz shrugs off scratches and most chemicals at Mohs 7, but avoid sudden temperature swings (a hot dishwasher after a cold shelf can crack a large piece) and clean with a soft, dry cloth.
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 piece comes from 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 piece I will receive?
Yes. This listing was photographed individually, and you receive the exact piece shown in the photos.
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