metamorphic
Quartzite Pebbler
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: yellowish-white/cream; Luster: vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: none, conchoidal fracture
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- yellowish-white/cream
- Luster
- vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: yellowish-white/cream; Luster: vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: none, conchoidal fracture
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional metamorphism of quartz sandstone. High heat and pressure reciprocal to tectonic activity cause individual quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse together.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as decorative landscaping rock, track ballast for railroads, and as a raw material in glassmaking or construction aggregate.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough and resistant to chemical weathering that it often forms the ridges and peaks of mountain ranges because it wears away much slower than surrounding rocks.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its extreme hardness (it will easily scratch glass) and lack of reaction to acid. Often found in riverbeds or glacial deposits as rounded 'river rocks'.
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