sedimentary

Beach Pebbles and Quartz Aggregates

Quartz pebbles and biogenic fragments (SiO2, CaCO3)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 7 (for quartz pebbles); Color: off-white, grey, tan, yellowish brown; Luster: vitreous to dull; Texture: smooth, water-worn, rounded to sub-rounded pebbles.

Hardness: 7 (for quartz pebbles)
Color: off-white, grey, tan, yellowish brown
Luster: vitreous to dull

Identified July 26, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (for quartz pebbles); Color: off-white, grey, tan, yellowish brown; Luster: vitreous to dull; Texture: smooth, water-worn, rounded to sub-rounded pebbles.

Formation & geological history

Formed through mechanical weathering, stream transport, and coastal wave erosion. The pebbles consist of durable quartz veins and sedimentary or metamorphic clasts rounded by repeated wave action along beach lines.

Uses & applications

Commonly collected as beach souvenirs, used in decorative landscaping, aquarium gravel, or crafts.

Geological facts

Smooth beach pebbles owe their shape to abrasion against other stones and sand driven by ocean currents over decades or centuries.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified by their water-rounded, smooth surfaces and mixed composition. Very common along coastal beaches, riverbanks, and glacial till deposits.