metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; color is off-white to gray with internal graininess; luster is dull to waxy; non-foliated granoblastic texture; very high resistance to chemical weathering.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; color is off-white to gray with internal graininess; luster is dull to waxy; non-foliated granoblastic texture; very high resistance to chemical weathering.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure, causing recrystallization of quartz grains. These pebbles are often rounded by long-term fluvial or glacial transport.
Uses & applications
Used as a decorative garden stone, in construction as crushed stone or ballast, and as a durable abrasive material in industrial grinding.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it often outlasts the surrounding rocks in a landscape, forming resistant ridges or caprocks; its hardness makes it a great material for ancient stone tools.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel nail and its grainy, sugary look when broken. Found globally in riverbeds, glaciated plains, and ancient mountain belts.
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