metamorphic
Yellow Quartzite (River Pebble)
Quartzite (mainly SiO2 with iron oxide impurities)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellow, tan, or honey-brown; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Yellow, tan, or honey-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellow, tan, or honey-brown; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed from quartzose sandstone through intense heat and pressure (metamorphism). The rounded shape is the result of fluvial erosion (water wear in a river or beach environment).
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative stone, construction aggregate, and occasionally tumbled for low-end jewelry or aquarium decor.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard that it will scratch glass and steel. Its color is often derived from iron minerals like limonite or goethite staining the quartz grains.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it cannot be scratched by a knife) and sugary, granular texture hidden beneath the smooth water-worn surface. Commonly found in riverbeds and glacial deposits.
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