sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color typically white, gray, or translucent; vitreous luster; cryptocrystalline or microcrystalline structure; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of around 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; color typically white, gray, or translucent; vitreous luster; cryptocrystalline or microcrystalline structure; conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage; specific gravity of around 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering, erosion, and water-transport of larger quartz veins, pegmatites, or silicate rocks. Over geological time, tumbling in rivers or ocean surf rounds the edges, creating smooth pebbles.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative stone, aquarium substrates, and as aggregate in construction materials.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in Earth's continental crust, highly resistant to both chemical and mechanical weathering.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of reaction to acid, and smooth, rounded water-worn shape. Found worldwide in riverbeds, beaches, and alluvial deposits.
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