mineral

Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White, clear, or greyish-tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (though rounded by erosion); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White, clear, or greyish-tan
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified May 29, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: White, clear, or greyish-tan; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (though rounded by erosion); Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture.

Formation & geological history

Formed from silicon-rich magmatic fluids or metamorphic processes, later weathered and transported by water into riverbeds resulting in its rounded shape.

Uses & applications

Commonly used as construction aggregate, in glass manufacturing, and as decorative landscape stone.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its name comes from the German word 'Quarz', which had its origins in Slavic and West Slavic.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Found globally in almost every environment, particularly in riverbeds and mountainous terrain.