mineral

Quartz Pebble (Yellow Quartz / Quartzite Pebble)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Yellowish-brown, tan, translucent to sub-translucent. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal microcrystalline/massive). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Yellowish-brown, tan, translucent to sub-translucent
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified July 27, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the deposition and crystallization of silica in hydrothermal veins or as river-eroded, water-worn pebbles of quartzite or microcrystalline quartz. Rounded and smoothed over long periods by mechanical weathering in riverbeds or coastal environments.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in lapidary arts for tumbling, jewelry making (cabochons), landscaping, decorative gravel, and glass manufacturing processes.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Rounded river pebbles like this one have been naturally tumbled by water and sediment transport over thousands or millions of years.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass easily, cannot be scratched by a steel nail), waxy-to-glassy luster, rounded water-worn shape, and translucent edges when held up to a strong light source. Commonly found in riverbeds, gravel pits, and beaches worldwide.