sedimentary
Quartz pebble / Quartzite
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, yellowish-brown to tan color due to iron staining, vitreous to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, lack of cleavage, translucent when thin.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, yellowish-brown to tan color due to iron staining, vitreous to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, lack of cleavage, translucent when thin.
Formation & geological history
Formed via weathering, erosion, and water transportation of quartz-rich igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. River and beach action smoothed and rounded the specimen over geological time.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, aggregate for construction, lapidary tumbling, and as decorative river rocks.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Rounded quartzite pebbles are often found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and along coastlines worldwide.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its scratch resistance to steel (hardness 7), smooth rounded water-worn texture, and waxy to vitreous appearance. Found in rivers, streams, and gravel pits.
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