mineral
Quartz Pebble
Crystalline Silica (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to creamy tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct; Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- White to creamy tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to creamy tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct; Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from cooling silica-rich magma or precipitation in hydrothermal veins. This specific specimen is water-worn, indicating it was shaped by fluvial (river) or coastal erosion over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Used in glassmaking, electronics (piezoelectric properties), abrasives, and as decorative river rock in landscaping.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Pure quartz is colorless, but impurities and microscopic inclusions create the milky white appearance seen here.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to scratch glass, its lack of cleavage (it breaks with conchoidal fracture), and its smooth, rounded texture from water erosion. Found globally in riverbeds and beaches.
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Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock