mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when worn); Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: White to translucent
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when worn)

Identified July 15, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: White to translucent; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when worn); Crystal Structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation from hydrothermal veins. This specimen shows significant rounding and frosting due to fluvial (river) or glacial transport over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Commonly used as an abrasive, in glass making, as architectural landscaping stone, or as a source of silicon for electronics. Collectors value unusually shaped or translucent water-worn stones.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. These rounded pebbles are often called 'river stones' and have been smoothed by the natural tumbling action of water and sediment.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial till. Often found where softer surrounding rock has eroded away.