Quartzite Pebble

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Grayish-tan with orange-brown iron staining, Luster: Dull to slightly vitreous, Texture: Granular (sugary) but solid, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)

Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone. High heat and pressure caused quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse together, creating an extremely durable rock. This specific specimen has been rounded by fluvial (river) or glacial action over thousands of years.

Commonly used as crushed stone in construction, road ballast, and as decorative river rock in landscaping due to its durability and resistance to weathering.

Quartzite is so tough that it usually breaks through the quartz grains rather than around them, unlike sandstone. It is one of the most chemically resistant and physically durable rocks on Earth's surface.

Identified by its extreme hardness (cannot be scratched by steel) and lack of reaction to acid. Often found in riverbeds, glacial tills, and mountain ranges. This pebble shows typical sedimentary rounding with secondary iron oxide staining.