metamorphic
Quartzite pebble
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-brown with white speckles, Luster: Dull to vitreous, Structure: Granoblastic, non-foliated, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Pinkish-brown with white speckles, Luster: Dull to vitreous, Structure: Granoblastic, non-foliated, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure, often found in riverbeds or glacial deposits as rounded clasts.
Uses & applications
Industrial use as crushed stone for road construction, railway ballast, and occasionally used in landscaping or as tumbling media for hobbyists.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often forms the caps of mountains and ridges; it is harder than the sandstone from which it originated.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (will scratch glass) and granular, sugar-like texture on unpolished surfaces; commonly found in river beds and ancient glacial till.
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