Quartzite Pebble

Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; color is tan to light brown; dull to slightly waxy luster; granular texture; extremely durable and resistant to weathering.

Formed from the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone subjected to heat and pressure. This specific specimen has been further shaped and smoothed into a rounded pebble by water erosion in a river or coastal environment.

Commonly used as decorative landscaping stone, in construction as crushed stone or ballast, and as a durable component in primitive tool making.

Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often forms the caps of mountains and ridges. When sandstone is converted to quartzite, the individual quartz grains recrystallize along with the former cementing material to form an interlocking mosaic of quartz crystals.

Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and its granular, sugary appearance on a fresh break. It is ubiquitous in glaciated regions and riverbeds across North America and Europe.