Quartzite Pebble

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors vary from pinkish-brown to white and gray, non-foliated texture, vitreous to greasy luster, conchoidal fracture.

Formed from quartz-rich sandstone or chert that has been subjected to intense heat and pressure (regional metamorphism), often dating back hundreds of millions of years.

Used in construction, railroad ballast, decorative landscaping, and occasionally as a tumbling stone or abrasive material.

Quartzite is extremely durable and resistant to chemical weathering, which is why quartz-rich rocks often survive as smooth, rounded pebbles on beaches and in riverbeds long after softer rocks have eroded.

Can be identified in the field by its high hardness (scratches glass easily), inability to be scratched by a knife, and the way individual quartz grains may still be faintly visible fused together. Common worldwide.