sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; white, translucent, or gray color; vitreous luster; trigonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; white, translucent, or gray color; vitreous luster; trigonal crystal system; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through mechanical weathering and aqueous transport of primary quartz-bearing rocks (like granite or pegmatite), which rounds the edges over time in riverbeds or marine environments.
Uses & applications
Commonly used in landscaping, road construction, concrete aggregate, and occasionally as a tumbled decorative stone.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in the Earth's continental crust, surviving weathering processes that destroy other minerals.
Field identification & locations
Found worldwide in stream beds, beaches, and alluvial gravels; easily identified by its hardness, which can scratch glass, and its resistance to acid and weathering.
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