mineral
Quartz Pebble (Citrine or Iron-stained Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Yellow to yellowish-orange due to iron oxide impurities or natural/heat-treated citrine coloration. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal System: Trigonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Yellow to yellowish-orange due to iron oxide impurities or natural/heat-treated citrine coloration. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal System: Trigonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, or metamorphic rocks, then eroded and rounded by transport in rivers, streams, or coastal beach environments.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as decorative landscaping stones, stream pebbles, tumbled gemstones for jewelry, and in rock collections.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth's surface. Water-worn pebbles often feature a smooth, rounded shape caused by natural erosion over thousands or millions of years.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hardness (scratches glass readily), smooth river-worn texture, translucency, and yellow-orange hue typical of iron-stained microcrystalline or macrocrystalline quartz.
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