metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (mostly SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to pale yellowish-tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when wet/polished); Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal microcrystalline; Specific gravity: approx. 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Creamy white to pale yellowish-tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy (when wet/polished)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to pale yellowish-tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when wet/polished); Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal microcrystalline; Specific gravity: approx. 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under intense heat and pressure. This specific specimen has been rounded and smoothed by fluvial or coastal water erosion.
Uses & applications
Large-scale use in construction as ballast and decorative gravel; smaller pebbles are used for rock tumbling, landscaping, and as architectural accents.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it often outlasts the rock layers around it during erosion. While quartz is a mineral, quartzite is the rock composed almost entirely of it.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its extreme hardness (cannot be scratched by a steel knife) and its grainy, sugary texture under the surface. It is ubiquitously found in riverbeds and mountainous regions world-wide.
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