metamorphic
Quartz-veined Granite or Gneiss Pebble
Silicate-rich metamorphic rock fragment
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale due to quartz content; mottled grey, white, and pinkish coloration; vitreous luster on the quartz veins; cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure with distinct banding or veining.
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore Quartz-veined Granite or Gneiss 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 due to quartz content; mottled grey, white, and pinkish coloration; vitreous luster on the quartz veins; cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure with distinct banding or veining.
Formation & geological history
Formed through intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth's crust, subsequently weathered, transported by water or glacial action, and smoothed into a rounded pebble by wave action on a beach.
Uses & applications
Primarily of interest to beachcombers and rock collectors as a decorative specimen or pocket stone.
Geological facts
Water-worn pebbles like this often showcase contrasting mineral bands, where harder minerals like quartz survive erosion better than surrounding feldspars or micas.
Field identification & locations
Found commonly in coastal areas, riverbeds, and glacial tills; identifiable by its high hardness (scratches glass) and distinctive interlocking crystalline veins.
More like this
