mineral

Quartz pebble

Silicon dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7; Color: Typically clear, white, or off-white, can be stained brown or yellow by iron oxides; Luster: Vitreous to dull (when weathered); Cleavage: None (exhibits conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65

Hardness: 7
Luster: Vitreous to dull (when weathered)

Identified July 29, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz is an extremely common mineral, forming in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. This specimen is a rounded pebble, indicating it has been transported and smoothed by water action, likely in a river or coastal environment, or as part of a sedimentary conglomerate.

Uses & applications

Quartz pebbles like this are common in landscaping aggregates, gravels, and as tumbling material for amateur lapidary. Pure quartz is used in glassmaking and electronics, but small, impure pebbles have little industrial value.

Geological facts

Due to its high hardness (7 on the Mohs scale) and lack of cleavage, quartz is highly resistant to chemical and physical weathering, which is why it is precisely the kind of mineral that survives to become a water-worn river pebble or beach stone.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of flat cleavage planes, and typical light color or translucency. It will have a glassy luster where freshly broken, but may look dull on the weathered exterior. Very commonly found in gravel deposits, riverbeds, and as float in soils globally.