metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (SiO2 based)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Tan, brown, white, or gray; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Structure: Granoblastic/sugary texture; Features: Recrystallized quartz grains, highly resistant to scratching.
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Tan, brown, white, or gray
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore Quartzite Pebble in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Tan, brown, white, or gray; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Structure: Granoblastic/sugary texture; Features: Recrystallized quartz grains, highly resistant to scratching.
Formation & geological history
Formed when quartz-rich sandstone is subjected to heat and pressure (metamorphism). This specific specimen has been further shaped into a rounded pebble by water erosion (fluvial or beach processes).
Uses & applications
Used in construction as road ballast, gravel, and dimension stone. High-purity quartzite is used to produce glass and metallurgical silicon. Small pebbles are often used in landscaping.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it can withstand millions of years of chemical weathering and mechanical erosion, often surviving as river cobbles while surrounding softer rocks disintegrate.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its 'sugary' texture and high hardness (it will scratch glass). Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and mountain ranges where ancient sedimentary layers were metamorphosed.
More like this
