sedimentary
Common Quartz Pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2) rock fragment
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically light brown to tan due to surface staining, dull to sub-vitreous luster, crypto-crystalline to micro-crystalline structure, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of roughly 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically light brown to tan due to surface staining, dull to sub-vitreous luster, crypto-crystalline to micro-crystalline structure, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of roughly 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed via weathering and mechanical erosion of primary igneous or metamorphic rock bodies, subsequently transported by water in rivers or streams where it was rounded into a smooth pebble over thousands to millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in landscaping, decorative gravel, aquarium substrates, and occasionally as a tumbling or abrasive medium.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in the Earth's continental crust, making quartz pebbles extremely common in riverbeds and beaches worldwide.
Field identification & locations
Can be easily identified in the field by its high hardness (it will easily scratch glass and steel) and smooth, water-worn shape. Found globally in almost all terrestrial water systems.
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Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
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