mineral
Quartz Pebble (often referred to as 'Sea Glass' or 'River Stone' when worn smooth)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-white/milky, Luster: Vitreous/waxy, Crystal structure: Trigonal (often crypto-crystalline in smoothed specimens), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-white/milky, Luster: Vitreous/waxy, Crystal structure: Trigonal (often crypto-crystalline in smoothed specimens), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture
Formation & geological history
Formed from silica-rich fluids in igneous or metamorphic environments. This specific specimen has been chemically or mechanically weathered and rounded by water action over geological time.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, as tumbling rough for hobbyists, or as a source of silica for glass manufacturing if found in bulk.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust. Its extreme resistance to chemical and physical weathering is why it is the primary component of beach sand.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it can scratch glass and steel) and lack of cleavage. Common in riverbeds and on beaches worldwide.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
![Green Apatite on Albite (Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]) — mineral](https://media.rockidentification.com/2391a63f-fb20-47d5-af9a-2035851eb32e-thumbnail.jpg)
Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
mineral