sedimentary
Quartz Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors vary from white to brownish-tan due to iron staining, vitreous to dull luster, cryptocrystalline or microcrystalline structure, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Quartz Pebble in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors vary from white to brownish-tan due to iron staining, vitreous to dull luster, cryptocrystalline or microcrystalline structure, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering and prolonged aqueous transport of parent quartz-bearing rocks (such as granite or quartz veins), rounding the edges over millions of years in riverbeds, beaches, or alluvial deposits.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative ground cover, gravel aggregates for construction, and as tumbling rough for lapidary work.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals in Earth's continental crust. Its high resistance to both mechanical weathering and chemical decomposition allows it to survive long transport distances where other minerals break down.
Field identification & locations
Found worldwide in stream beds, gravel bars, and sedimentary deposits. Easily identifiable by its high hardness (scratches glass) and smooth, water-worn shape.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary
Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
sedimentary