metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (primarily SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-tan/buff; Luster: Vitreous to dull/waxy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pinkish-tan/buff
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull/waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-tan/buff; Luster: Vitreous to dull/waxy; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under intense heat and pressure. This specific specimen has been further shaped into a rounded pebble through water erosion (fluvial or glacial transport) over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Construction aggregate, decorative landscaping stone, flux in smelting, and historical use for stone tools (lithics) due to its hardness and predictable fracture.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it often outlasts the mountain ranges it was formed in, becoming the primary component of riverbeds and beach gravels millions of years later.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its lack of reaction to acid (unlike limestone/marble). Commonly found in glacial till, river beds, and mountainous regions worldwide.
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