mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to translucent grey; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture; Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to translucent grey
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn)

Identified June 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from cooling silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within igneous pegmatites. This specific specimen is a water-worn river or beach pebble, shaped by mechanical erosion over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Industrial use in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, and as decorative landscaping stones or pocket stones.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is clear, but 'Milky Quartz' gets its white color from tiny bubbles of gas or liquid trapped during crystal growth.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (will scratch glass), lack of reaction to acid, and smooth, rounded water-worn texture. Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial deposits.