mineral

Likely milky quartz pebble

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Small, rounded, opaque cream-white pebble with a vitreous-to-waxy surface and rusty-brown staining. Quartz has Mohs hardness 7, a trigonal crystal structure, no cleavage, and specific gravity about 2.65; the photo does not show enough detail to confirm these properties by testing.

Identified September 24, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Probably a naturally weathered quartz fragment, rounded during transport in a stream or other sediment. Quartz forms in many igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal settings; its age cannot be determined from the image.

Uses & applications

Quartz is widely used in glass, ceramics, electronics, and construction aggregate; this small piece is mainly suitable for a collection or craft item.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals. The brown patches may be iron-oxide staining rather than part of the quartz itself.

Field identification & locations

A plausible visual identification, not certain from a photograph; a steel knife should not readily scratch quartz, while quartz can scratch glass. The reported southern Ethiopian location makes quartz plausible, but does not establish where this pebble formed.