sedimentary
River Pebble
Quartzite pebble
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, brown to tan color, vitreous luster, amorphous crystal habit due to wear, no cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore River Pebble in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, brown to tan color, vitreous luster, amorphous crystal habit due to wear, no cleavage, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the mechanical weathering, erosion, and aqueous transportation of parent rock over geological timescales in river environments.
Uses & applications
Used in landscaping, decorative ground cover, and aquascaping. It has low intrinsic collector value.
Geological facts
Continuous tumbling in high-energy water currents naturally rounds sharp edges into smooth, elongated shapes. Similar quartz pebbles are among the oldest surviving geological artifacts on Earth.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its smooth, water-worn shape and high resistance to scratching. Commonly found along active riverbeds, lake shores, and ancient alluvial deposits worldwide.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Fossil-bearing concretion, possibly containing a fossil shell or other organic inclusion
Calcareous concretion; exact fossil and host-rock composition are not identifiable from the image
fossil
Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary limestone with invertebrate fossil imprint
fossil
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
sedimentary
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Shale (or Mudstone/Siltstone)
Sedimentary Mudrock (SiO2, Al2O3 base with clay minerals)
sedimentary