mineral

Quartz Pebble (River/Beach Quartz)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white to tan/peach translucent; Luster: Vitreous to waxy/dull from weathering; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Milky white to tan/peach translucent
Luster: Vitreous to waxy/dull from weathering

Identified July 27, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed originally in hydrothermal veins or pegmatites as macrocrystalline quartz, then weathered, eroded, and rounded by fluvial or coastal wave action over thousands to millions of years.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in landscaping, gravel aggregates, and decorative stone work. Polished specimens are used in tumbling, stone carving, and lapidary hobbies.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth's surface. Water-worn quartz pebbles often display a greasy or waxy surface sheen due to micro-abrasions from stream or wave transport.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its scratch resistance (scratches glass and steel easily, cannot be scratched by a knife), lack of cleavage, milky to translucent body, and rounded, smooth water-worn surface. Extremely common along riverbeds, beaches, and glacial till deposits worldwide.

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