mineral

White Quartz Pebble

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Milky white to translucent. Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: Indistinct/None. Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to translucent
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy

Identified April 11, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Milky white to translucent. Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy. Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: Indistinct/None. Specific gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids cooling in veins or from the crystallization of igneous magma. This specific specimen is a water-worn river pebble, likely millions of years old, smoothed by erosion.

Uses & applications

Commonly used as decorative landscaping stone (river rock), in glassmaking, as an abrasive, and in electronics for its piezoelectric properties. This specimen has ornamental/garden value.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Milky quartz gets its cloudy appearance from tiny fluid inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and mountains.