sedimentary
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically white, clear, or yellowish-brown due to staining, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no cleavage.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically white, clear, or yellowish-brown due to staining, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no cleavage.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the physical and chemical weathering of parent rocks containing quartz, such as granite. Over millions of years, water transport in rivers or ocean waves rounds and smooths the fragments into pebbles.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, construction aggregates, decorative gravel, and occasionally tumbled for lapidary work.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in Earth's continental crust. Its high resistance to weathering allows it to survive long distances in riverbeds and beaches.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass) and conchoidal fracture. Found worldwide in stream beds, gravel bars, and ancient sedimentary deposits.
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Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
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Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
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Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
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Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
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Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
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