sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically translucent to opaque, vitreous to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, and specific gravity of 2.65.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Quartz Pebble in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, typically translucent to opaque, vitreous to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, and specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering and water-borne transport of quartz veins or parent rocks, often smoothed by wave or river action over long periods.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative stone, and as a raw material for various industrial applications and tumbling.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth's continental crust and is extremely resistant to weathering, which is why it often survives as pebbles in rivers and beaches.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its high hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and smooth water-worn shape found frequently in riverbeds and gravel bars worldwide.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary limestone with invertebrate fossil imprint
fossil
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
sedimentary
Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
sedimentary
Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
sedimentary