mineral
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Translucent white to tan, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (though water-worn), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Translucent white to tan, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (though water-worn), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed from cooling magma or hydrothermal veins; this specific specimen has been smoothed and rounded through water erosion in a river or beach environment over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Commonly used in landscaping, glass manufacturing, electronics due to piezoelectric properties, and as decorative river stones.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'quarz', which means 'hard'.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it can scratch glass and steel), lack of cleavage, and translucent appearance. These are ubiquitous in gravel beds and stream deposits globally.
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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
![Biotite Schist (Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]) — metamorphic](https://media.rock.id/9ca564b5-bc87-402b-965a-69b21f9aa6bf-thumbnail.jpg)
Biotite Schist
Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]
metamorphic