mineral

Tumbled quartz pebble

Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO₂), likely milky quartz

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; white to translucent, vitreous-to-waxy luster, granular crystalline texture, no visible cleavage, and specific gravity about 2.65. The rounded shape and surface abrasion indicate natural water-worn or tumbled material.

Identified August 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal fluids; this pebble was likely released by weathering and rounded in a stream or beach. Quartz is extremely old geologically, occurring in rocks from virtually every era.

Uses & applications

Common quartz is used in glass, ceramics, abrasives, electronics, and engineered stone; attractive milky pebbles are mainly used for decoration, crafts, and collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals and is the reference mineral for Mohs hardness 7. Its milky appearance results from microscopic fluid inclusions or fractures scattering light.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its white translucency, hardness, glassy fracture, and inability to scratch it with a steel blade; it should scratch window glass. Common worldwide, especially in stream gravels, beaches, granite terrains, and quartz veins.