mineral

Quartz River Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, yellowish-tan to light brown color due to iron oxide staining, dull to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, trigonal crystal system, specific gravity around 2.65.

Identified July 26, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, yellowish-tan to light brown color due to iron oxide staining, dull to waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, trigonal crystal system, specific gravity around 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the cooling of silica-rich magma or precipitation in hydrothermal veins. The rounded shape was created through mechanical weathering and erosion in riverbeds, lakes, or coastal areas.

Uses & applications

Used in landscaping, construction aggregate, decorative river rock, and rock tumbling hobbies.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Rounded quartzite and quartz river pebbles have been smoothed over thousands or millions of years of water transport.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, rounded river-worn shape, and yellowish translucent appearance. Commonly found along stream beds, gravel pits, and beaches worldwide.