mineral
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Translucent yellowish-white, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often massive in pebbles), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Translucent yellowish-white, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (often massive in pebbles), Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed from cooling magma or hydrothermal veins, subsequently weathered and water-worn in a river or beach environment over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, glass manufacturing, abrasives, and as decorative gravel. High-purity quartz is used in electronics.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. These smooth shapes are the result of physical weathering known as abrasion.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and along coastal shorelines.
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Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Sandstone with Mineral Veining or Crust
Sedimentary Sandstone (mostly SiO2 with Fe2O3 tinting)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic