Quartzite pebble

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-white with reddish veining, Luster: Vitreous to dull, Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (microcrystalline), Cleavage: None.

Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under heat and pressure. The reddish-pink veining is likely due to iron oxide (hematite) staining. The smooth, rounded shape indicates it was transported and abraded by water.

Used in construction as a sturdy aggregate, as a decorative stone in landscaping, and occasionally for lapidary work if highly figured. This specific specimen is a river pebble.

Quartzite is so durable that it often survives intense mechanical weathering, ending up as rounded river cobbles or beach pebbles far from its original outcrop. The found location (Slovenia/Maribor region) is consistent with Alpine glacial and fluvial deposits.

Identify by its ability to scratch glass (hardness) and the lack of reaction to acid. It is commonly found in riverbanks and glacial moraines throughout the Alpine and Pre-Alpine regions of Europe.