mineral
Quartz pebble with a conchoidal chip
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color ranges from milky white to translucent; vitreous to waxy luster; trigonal crystal system; lacks cleavage, exhibiting conchoidal fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color ranges from milky white to translucent; vitreous to waxy luster; trigonal crystal system; lacks cleavage, exhibiting conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed via weathering and water transport from igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary host rocks, smoothing out into a rounded pebble over long periods in fluvial or marine environments.
Uses & applications
Used as landscape gravel, in construction aggregates, or collected as a common beach/river tumble specimen.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth's continental crust and is exceptionally resistant to weathering both chemically and physically.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass) and conchoidal fracture where chipped. Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and gravel deposits.
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