mineral
Yellow Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Translucent yellow to honey-orange, Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when weathered), Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Translucent yellow to honey-orange, Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when weathered), Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within igneous pegmatites. This specific specimen is an alluvial pebble, rounded by water erosion in a river or coastal environment over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Common varieties are used as decorative garden stones, in lapidary work for cabochons, or as industrial abrasive and glass-making source. If clearer, it can be used for semi-precious jewelry (Citrine).
Geological facts
Quartz is the most abundant and widely distributed mineral found at Earth's surface. The yellow coloration is often due to trace amounts of iron or structural defects within the crystal lattice.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and beaches worldwide. This water-worn appearance is typical of 'river rocks.'
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Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
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Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
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Epidote
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