metamorphic
Quartzite River Pebble
Metamorphic Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Tan to rust-orange due to iron staining, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Structure: Granular/Crystalline, Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs), Color: Tan to rust-orange due to iron staining, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Structure: Granular/Crystalline, Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under intense heat and pressure. It has been naturally rounded and smoothed by water erosion in a river or coastal environment.
Uses & applications
Primarily used as decorative landscaping stone, in construction aggregates, or as tumbled pocket stones.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so strong and resistant to weathering that it often forms the peaks of mountain ranges. The reddish staining seen here is caused by the oxidation of internal iron minerals (limonite or hematite).
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its sugary, crystalline fracture surface. It is ubiquitously found in riverbeds and glacial deposits worldwide.
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