mineral
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent greyish-white. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture. Specific Gravity: 2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Translucent greyish-white
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Translucent greyish-white. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture. Specific Gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments. This rounded pebble was eroded from a host rock and smoothed by water action in a river, stream, or beach environment.
Uses & applications
Commonly collected by beachcombers and rockhounds. Quartz is used in glassmaking, electronics, abrasives, and as a decorative stone.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust after feldspar. Smooth, rounded water-worn pebbles like this are typical of stream beds and coastal shorelines.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its translucency, hardness (scratches glass readily), non-metallic luster, and water-worn rounded shape. Abundant worldwide in riverbeds, beaches, and gravel deposits.
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