mineral
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically white, clear, or yellowish due to iron staining, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity around 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically white, clear, or yellowish due to iron staining, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity around 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed via crystallization from silica-rich hydrothermal solutions or cooling magma, frequently weathered out of host rocks and rounded into smooth pebbles by water action in streams or beaches.
Uses & applications
Used in decorative landscaping, tumbling, lapidary arts, and as a raw material in glassmaking and electronics.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in Earth's continental crust, highly resistant to both chemical and mechanical weathering.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and conchoidal fracture. Common worldwide in riverbeds, beaches, and various rock formations.
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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Soil with Mineral Detritus and Quartz Fragments
Regolith / Silicate Mineral Aggregate
sedimentary
Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
mineral
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
sedimentary
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral