metamorphic
Quartzite pebble
Metamorphic Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, dull to waxy/vitreous luster, fine-grained granoblastic texture, yellowish-brown to tan color with reddish-brown staining, highly durable.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale, dull to waxy/vitreous luster, fine-grained granoblastic texture, yellowish-brown to tan color with reddish-brown staining, highly durable.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure, causing quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse into a dense rock matrix.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as construction aggregate, decorative landscaping stone, aquascaping, or tumbling material for lapidary hobbyists.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard and dense that when it fractures, the breaks occur through the quartz grains themselves rather than along the boundaries between them.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its ability to scratch glass easily, interlocking crystalline grainy appearance under light, and smooth rounded pebble morphology resulting from water erosion in rivers or along beaches.
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