metamorphic
Quartz-veined Metamorphic Rock (Wishing Stone)
Quartz-veined Metamorphic/Igneous Host Rock with Quartz Veinlets
Hardness of 7 for the quartz veins (Mohs scale), 6-7 for the host rock; colors are dark grey to bluish-grey with contrasting white bands; vitreous luster on the quartz; massive crystal structure; uneven fracture; specific gravity around 2.65 - 2.75
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 for the quartz veins (Mohs scale), 6-7 for the host rock; colors are dark grey to bluish-grey with contrasting white bands; vitreous luster on the quartz; massive crystal structure; uneven fracture; specific gravity around 2.65 - 2.75
Formation & geological history
Formed through hydrothermal activity where silica-rich fluids filled fractures and cracks in a pre-existing host rock, solidifying into quartz veins, later weathered and rounded by water action in a river or beach environment.
Uses & applications
Commonly collected as a novelty or 'wishing stone', used in ornamental displays, lapidary projects, or as garden decor.
Geological facts
Stones with continuous white quartz rings around them are often called 'wishing stones' or 'whispering stones' in folklore, where finders make a wish upon the unbroken white band.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified visually by the stark white quartz bands cutting across a darker, water-worn pebble. Commonly found in gravel bars, river beds, and glacial till worldwide.
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