mineral

Quartz Pebble

Crystalline Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn); Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Creamy white to translucent
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn)

Identified January 2, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. This specific specimen is a water-worn river pebble, likely transported and eroded over millions of years through fluvial processes.

Uses & applications

Used industrially in glassmaking, abrasives, and electronics. Small pebbles are used in landscaping, construction aggregate, and as tumbling media for lapidary hobbies.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Because of its high hardness and chemical stability, it survives weathering better than most minerals, which is why it is the primary component of most river and beach sand.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (it scratches glass easily) and its lack of cleavage. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial tills, and beaches worldwide. Collectors looks for 'milky' or 'bull' quartz varieties like this one.