metamorphic
River Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Tan, beige, and white mottled with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (especially when wet); Crystal Structure: Non-foliated, granular; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Tan, beige, and white mottled with iron staining
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy (especially when wet)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Tan, beige, and white mottled with iron staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (especially when wet); Crystal Structure: Non-foliated, granular; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure, typically during mountain-building events. This specimen has been rounded by fluvial erosion in a riverbed.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative landscaping stone, in construction aggregates, or as tumbled pocket stones for collectors.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it often survives intense weathering that destroys other rocks. It is frequently more resistant to erosion than the mountains from which it originated.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its extreme hardness (cannot be scratched by a steel knife) and its grainy, sugary texture that resembles sandstone but doesn't rub off. Commonly found in riverbeds and glacial till.
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