metamorphic
Quartz Pebble with Chlorite or Epidote Inclusions
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with inclusions
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white, cream, tan with greenish chlorite/epidote mottling; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Microcrystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: ~2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Milky white, cream, tan with greenish chlorite/epidote mottling; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Microcrystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: ~2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins or metamorphic quartz veins where quartz crystallized alongside green silicate minerals like chlorite or epidote, subsequently eroded into a smooth stream pebble over time.
Uses & applications
Commonly collected as river stones, decorative lapidary material, or landscaping pebbles.
Geological facts
Green inclusions in quartz pebbles are frequently chlorite group minerals or fine-grained epidote/actinolite that were trapped as the quartz crystallized in low- to medium-grade metamorphic environments.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), smooth water-worn rounded shape, sub-vitreous waxy luster, and mottled green-and-white coloration. Commonly found in riverbeds, gravel bars, and glacial till.
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