metamorphic
Quartzite (with Quartz Veining)
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Greyish-brown with white quartz veins; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal Structure: Granoblastic trigonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Greyish-brown with white quartz veins
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Greyish-brown with white quartz veins; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal Structure: Granoblastic trigonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure, likely during the Alpine orogeny. The white veins represent later hydrothermal quartz filling fractures.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as a decorative stone, road ballast, or as a source of silica in glassmaking and metallurgy. This specific water-worn pebble is primarily a collector's curiosity.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard that it will scratch glass and even steel. The white cross-cutting veins are 'crack-seal' veins, indicating the rock was fractured and mineralized multiple times.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its sugary texture and extreme hardness. Common in the Eastern Alps and surrounding basins (like the Vienna Basin near 47.7N) where glacial or fluvial transport moves them far from their source.
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