igneous
Granite Pebble
Granite (Plutonic Igneous Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled gray, pinkish-tan, cream, and clear/translucent quartz patches. Luster: Dull to vitreous (glassy on quartz veins). Structure: Coarse-grained phaneritic texture, rounded by stream or beach erosion.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous (glassy on quartz veins)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled gray, pinkish-tan, cream, and clear/translucent quartz patches. Luster: Dull to vitreous (glassy on quartz veins). Structure: Coarse-grained phaneritic texture, rounded by stream or beach erosion.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling and crystallization of magma deep within Earth's crust (plutonic environment). Subsequently eroded and water-worn into a smooth river cobble or ocean pebble.
Uses & applications
Commonly used in construction, crushed stone, decorative landscaping, and as a popular subject for lapidary tumbling or painting.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a huge portion of Earth's continental crust. This specific specimen shows a vein or pod of quartz running through coarse feldspar and quartz matrix.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its visible interlocking crystals of quartz, feldspar, and minor mafic minerals, smooth rounded water-worn shape. Found along riverbeds, beaches, and glacial till worldwide.
