mineral
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, color ranges from clear to milky white with minor yellowish or brownish staining, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, color ranges from clear to milky white with minor yellowish or brownish staining, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the crystallization of silica-rich solutions or cooling magmas, later weathered, eroded, and transported by water to become a rounded pebble in a sedimentary environment.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative stone, glass manufacturing, abrasives, and electronics.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth's continental crust and is exceptionally resistant to weathering, which is why it often survives as pebbles in streams and beaches long after other minerals have broken down.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified in the field by its high hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and smooth water-worn shape. Found worldwide in riverbeds, beaches, and gravel deposits.
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Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
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Septarian Pebble
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Schist
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Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral