sedimentary
Quartz-veined Sandstone Pebble
Quartzite-veined Arenite
Mohs hardness of 7 for the quartz vein and 6-7 for the sandstone host, color is brownish-grey with a white-to-translucent quartz vein, waxy to vitreous luster on the vein and dull to earthy on the matrix, cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure, no cleavage.
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness of 7 for the quartz vein and 6-7 for the sandstone host, color is brownish-grey with a white-to-translucent quartz vein, waxy to vitreous luster on the vein and dull to earthy on the matrix, cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline structure, no cleavage.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the lithification of sand-sized mineral particles (predominantly quartz) into sandstone, subsequently fractured, and healed by hydrothermal fluids precipitating silica to form a quartz vein. Later weathered and rounded by water action into a pebble.
Uses & applications
Primarily of geological interest as an indicator of local hydrothermal activity and sedimentary history; common as a tumbled beach or river pebble.
Geological facts
Vein quartz cutting through sedimentary rock demonstrates multiple phases of geological activity: original sediment deposition, compaction into rock, tectonic fracturing, fluid migration, and finally surface weathering and transport.
Field identification & locations
Found globally in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial tills where quartz-rich sedimentary rocks undergo erosion. Identified by the stark contrast between the granular sandstone matrix and the smooth, hard quartz vein.
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Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
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Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
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Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
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Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
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Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble
Siltstone / Argillite
sedimentary