sedimentary
Quartz-veined Sandstone Pebble
Quartzose Sandstone with Quartz Veinlets
Hardness: 7 (due to quartz composition); Color: reddish-brown matrix with light grey or white veins; Luster: dull to vitreous; Crystal structure: clastic/microcrystalline quartz grains; Specific gravity: ~2.65
- Hardness
- 7 (due to quartz composition)
- Color
- reddish-brown matrix with light grey or white veins
- Luster
- dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (due to quartz composition); Color: reddish-brown matrix with light grey or white veins; Luster: dull to vitreous; Crystal structure: clastic/microcrystalline quartz grains; Specific gravity: ~2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the lithification of sand-sized mineral particles or rock fragments, predominantly quartz, accumulated in river, desert, or marine environments. The contrasting light-colored veins are later-stage hydrothermal fractures filled with secondary quartz.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative landscaping stone, educational geology specimens, or collected as a tumbled beach/river pebble.
Geological facts
The reddish color typically comes from iron oxide (hematite) staining the quartz grains. The distinct lighter bands represent mineral-rich fluids that previously filled fractures in the rock and crystallized.
Field identification & locations
Easily identifiable in the field by its distinct smooth, water-worn shape, gritty texture, and contrasting mineral veins cutting through the sedimentary body. Found worldwide in riverbeds, beaches, and sedimentary rock outcrops.
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