mineral

Quartz Pebble (Iron-Stained)

Crystalline Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Tan to reddish-brown (caused by iron oxide staining); Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Tan to reddish-brown (caused by iron oxide staining)
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy

Identified June 18, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed via hydrothermal activity or cooling of silica-rich magma; subsequently weathered and water-worn into a rounded pebble shape over thousands to millions of years.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in landscaping, as an abrasive in industrial applications, or for rock tumbling and lapsidary practice for beginners.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Iron-stained varieties like this are often mistaken for jasper, but they lack the opacity of true jasper.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass, its rounded water-worn texture, and translucent edges. Common in river beds, beaches, and glacial till.

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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

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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