Quartzite Pebble

Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Cream/Tannish-white, Luster: Vitreous to dull, Structure: Granular/Microcrystalline, Fracture: Conchoidal to irregular

Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure, often during mountain-building events. This specific specimen has been further shaped and smoothed by water erosion in a river or coastal environment.

Industrial uses include construction aggregate, glass making, and decorative landscaping. High-purity quartzite is used to produce ferrosilicon and silicon metal.

Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often forms the ridges and peaks of mountain ranges because it resists weathering better than the rocks surrounding it.

Identify in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass easily) and its granular, sugary texture. Unlike sandstone, it breaks through the quartz grains rather than around them. Commonly found in riverbeds and glacial deposits.