mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan to creamy white with iron staining, Luster: Vitreous to waxy (tumbled), Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often microcrystalline in pebbles), Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.

Identified June 25, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or through the mechanical weathering and transport of larger quartz veins and igneous rocks over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Commonly used as abrasive grit, in glass making, construction aggregate, and as decorative gravel for landscaping or aquariums.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. These rounded pebbles are often shaped by river currents or ocean waves over centuries.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its lack of visible grains like sandstone. Commonly found in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial deposits worldwide.