sedimentary
Quartzite Pebble
Metamorphosed Quartz Sandstone (SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan, grey, white with iron staining, Luster: dull to vitreous, Structure: granular/crystalline, Cleavage: none.
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan, grey, white with iron staining, Luster: dull to vitreous, Structure: granular/crystalline, Cleavage: none.
Formation & geological history
Originally formed as quartz sand deposits that were compressed into sandstone and then subjected to heat and pressure (metamorphism), creating a dense, hard rock. This specimen has been rounded by fluvial (water) erosion.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as construction aggregate, ballast, and in landscaping. Highly durable for outdoor architecture.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often survives as pebbles long after the surrounding rock has weathered away. It is tougher than the sandstone from which it originated.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its gritty, granular appearance that looks like sand grains fused together. Found globally in riverbeds and glacial deposits.
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