mineral
Milky Quartz Pebble
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent tan/brown, Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn), Crystal Structure: Trigonal (not visible in pebble form), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: White to translucent tan/brown, Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn), Crystal Structure: Trigonal (not visible in pebble form), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins or as a constituent of igneous rocks. This specific specimen is a water-worn river or beach pebble, smoothed by mechanical erosion over hundreds to thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as decorative landscaping gravel, in construction as aggregate, and potentially as a source of silica for industrial glass making. Smaller pebbles are often collected by hobbyists.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. The 'milky' appearance is caused by tiny inclusions of gas or liquid trapped during the crystal's growth.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass), its lack of cleavage, and its characteristic waxy luster when wet. It is found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and soil.
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