sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Tan, yellow, or milky white; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when weathered); Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Grainy surface texture from environmental wear.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Tan, yellow, or milky white
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy (when weathered)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Tan, yellow, or milky white; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when weathered); Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Grainy surface texture from environmental wear.
Formation & geological history
Formed via crystallization from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or magma, then eroded from original host rock and smoothed by water transport in a river or coastal environment over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Used in construction aggregates, landscaping, and as a source of silica for glass manufacturing; small pebbles are common for hobbyist rock tumbling.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. This specimen shows 'chatter marks' or crescentic impacts typical of high-energy fluvial transport.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Common in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and beaches globally.
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