sedimentary
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no cleavage. Color ranges from white to translucent beige due to weathering.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and no cleavage. Color ranges from white to translucent beige due to weathering.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering and prolonged aqueous transport of parent quartz-bearing rocks, smoothing jagged edges into rounded clasts over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in landscaping, decorative gravel, aggregate for construction, and tumbling for lapidary crafts.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and chemically resistant minerals on Earth's continental crust. Rounded quartz pebbles are classic indicators of high-energy fluvial or marine depositional environments.
Field identification & locations
Identified easily by its inability to be scratched by steel and its smooth, rounded river-worn morphology. Commonly found in stream beds, beaches, and ancient conglomerate formations.
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