sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors vary from clear and white to shades of tan, brown, and grey, vitreous to waxy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors vary from clear and white to shades of tan, brown, and grey, vitreous to waxy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering and prolonged aqueous transportation of parent igneous or metamorphic rocks containing quartz veins, accumulating in sedimentary environments such as beaches and riverbeds over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative stone, abrasive manufacturing, glassmaking, and by amateur rockhounds and lapidary hobbyists for tumbling and polishing.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in Earth's continental crust, able to survive multiple cycles of erosion and redeposition due to its high resistance to weathering.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified in the field by its high hardness (scratches glass easily), lack of cleavage, and smooth, rounded water-worn shape typically found among river gravels and ocean beaches.
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Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary
Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
sedimentary
Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
sedimentary