mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; translucent to transparent clear with yellowish-brown iron oxidation staining; vitreous luster; smooth, water-worn rounded form; conchoidal fracture

Identified July 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; translucent to transparent clear with yellowish-brown iron oxidation staining; vitreous luster; smooth, water-worn rounded form; conchoidal fracture

Formation & geological history

Formed in hydrothermal veins or pegmatites as macrocrystalline quartz, later eroded, weathered, and rounded by river or wave action over thousands to millions of years

Uses & applications

Commonly collected as river rocks, used in lapidary work, decorative garden gravel, and silica production

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust and is resistant to both chemical and mechanical weathering, allowing it to form persistent river pebbles

Field identification & locations

Identified by its hardness (scratches glass, cannot be scratched by a steel pocketknife), glassy luster, lack of cleavage, and smooth rounded pebble morphology. Found in stream beds, beaches, and glacial deposits worldwide