mineral
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. Color ranges from off-white, light yellowish-tannish to opaque cream. Luster is dull to waxy or vitreous when wet or polished. Hexagonal crystal system with conchoidal fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. Color ranges from off-white, light yellowish-tannish to opaque cream. Luster is dull to waxy or vitreous when wet or polished. Hexagonal crystal system with conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through igneous crystallization, hydrothermal vein deposition, or metamorphic processes, then eroded, rounded, and smoothed by water transport in rivers, streams, or coastal environments.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as decorative landscape gravel, aggregate in construction, aquarium substrate, and tumbled specimens for beginner rock collecting.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust. Rounded pebbles like this one have undergone thousands of years of natural water weathering.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to easily scratch glass (Mohs 7), lack of cleavage, and smooth water-worn surface. Found in gravel pits, riverbeds, and beaches worldwide.
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