Mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: semi-translucent white; Luster: vitreous (glassy) to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (though massive/rounded in this form); Cleavage: none; Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: semi-translucent white
Luster: vitreous (glassy) to waxy

Identified March 20, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the crystallization of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. This specimen shows a water-worn, rounded texture likely resulting from fluvial (river) or coastal erosion over centuries or millennia.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in landscaping and construction. High-purity quartz is used in glassmaking, electronics, and precision optical instruments. Tumbled pebbles like this are used in home decor and pebble art.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its high hardness of 7 makes it highly resistant to mechanical weathering, which is why it often remains as pebbles while other minerals crumble into sand or silt.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it can scratch glass and steel) and lack of cleavage (it breaks with conchoidal, shell-like fractures). Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial deposits. Common in almost any region with granite or metamorphic bedrock.