igneous
Granite Pebble with Quartz Vein
Granite (Plutonic Igneous Rock) with Quartz (SiO2)
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan/pinkish host granite with a distinct grey-white quartz vein or patch. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Structure: Phaneritic (medium-grained matrix) with massive quartz.
- Hardness
- 6 to 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan/pinkish host granite with a distinct grey-white quartz vein or patch. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Structure: Phaneritic (medium-grained matrix) with massive quartz.
Formation & geological history
Formed from slow cooling of silica-rich magma deep underground. Quartz veins form later as hydrothermally enriched fluids precipitate quartz into fractures within the cooling granite body. Subsequently eroded and stream-rounded into a smooth pebble.
Uses & applications
Commonly collected as a beach or river rock display piece, crushed stone aggregate, architectural gravel, or landscaping rock.
Geological facts
Quartz veins in granitic rocks are classic geological indicators often searched by prospectors, as they can sometimes contain secondary minerals or trace precious metals like gold.
Field identification & locations
Look for a coarse-grained pinkish-tan matrix of feldspar and quartz with a clear, sharp boundary adjoining a solid region of crystalline milky quartz. Abundant in glacial till, riverbeds, and gravel bars.
