Milky quartz
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Description
A cloudy or translucent form of quartz. Quartz loses its clarity and becomes cloudy due to the submicroscopic inclusions of air and water. Milky quartz was commonly used for pendants and vessels until the early Dynastic period in Egypt (Aston et al 2000).
Synonyms and Related Terms
hydrothermal quartz; milk quartz; snow quartz; cuarzo lechoso (Esp.); quartz laiteux (Fr.); quartzo leitoso (Port.); Milchquarz (Deut.); melkkwarts (Ned.)
Other Properties
Trigonal crystal system. Low birefringence. Low thermal expansion.
Fracture = conchoidal. Luster = vitreous to greasy. Streak = white.
| Composition | SiO2 |
|---|---|
| Mohs Hardness | 7.0 |
| Density | 2.65 |
Additional Information
B.Aston, J.Harrell, I.Shaw, "Stone" in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 52.
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
- Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technologies, Paul Nicholson, Ian Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000 Comment: B.Aston, J.Harrell, I.Shaw, "Stone"
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_quartz (Accessed Sept. 14, 2005)