metamorphic
Quartzite pebble
Quartzite (primarily SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to creamy orange/peach, Luster: vitreous to waxy when wet, Structure: microcrystalline, massive, Cleavage: none (conchoidal fracture).
Identified More metamorphic →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to creamy orange/peach, Luster: vitreous to waxy when wet, Structure: microcrystalline, massive, Cleavage: none (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure. This specific specimen has been further shaped into a smooth, rounded pebble by water erosion (alluvial or beach transport).
Uses & applications
Commonly used as decorative gravel, in landscaping, as a construction aggregate, or occasionally as a tumbled stone for beginner collectors.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it often outlasts the surrounding rocks during erosion, leading to the formation of rounded pebbles like this one in riverbeds and on beaches.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its rounded, water-worn texture. It is frequently found in riverbeds, glacial till, and coastal areas.
More like this
