metamorphic
Quartzite pebble
Quartzite (composed primarily of Quartz, SiO2)
Hardness around 7 on the Mohs scale, pale grey-pinkish white color, vitreous to dull luster, granular sugary texture, very resistant to chemical and physical weathering.
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Physical properties
Hardness around 7 on the Mohs scale, pale grey-pinkish white color, vitreous to dull luster, granular sugary texture, very resistant to chemical and physical weathering.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the regional or contact metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone, where quartz grains recrystallize and fuse tightly under high heat and pressure.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as construction aggregate, railway ballast, decorative landscaping gravel, and as a source of silica for glass manufacturing.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that when it breaks, it fractures through the quartz grains rather than along the boundaries between them, unlike its parent sandstone.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass and steel easily) and smooth water-worn pebble morphology. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and gravel pits.
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