mineral

White Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: White to milky white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale
Color: White to milky white
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy

Identified March 26, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: White to milky white; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or from hydrothermal veins. This specific specimen is a 'clast' that has been rounded by fluvial (river) or marine erosion over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used in landscaping as decorative stone, in construction as an aggregate, and in industry for glass making or as an abrasive. Polished versions are used in low-cost jewelry or as 'worry stones'.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its milky white color is usually caused by tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal formation.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (hardness) and its rounded, smooth surface indicating water transport. Commonly found in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial till worldwide.