mineral

Quartz Pebble

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to off-white, creamy; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn); Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: White to off-white, creamy
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn)

Identified July 7, 2026More mineral →

Explore Quartz Pebble in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in igneous or metamorphic environments as crystals, subsequently eroded and rounded by water action in rivers or coastal environments. This specimen shows significant river-worn or beach-worn abrasion.

Uses & applications

Widely used as decorative landscaping stone, in gravel for construction, as a source for silica in glass making, and occasionally as minor lapidary material.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Because it is chemically stable and physically hard, it often remains as pebbles long after other minerals have weathered away.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage, and its smooth, rounded surface from water erosion. This is a very common find in riverbeds and on pebble beaches worldwide.