mineral

Yellow Quartz Pebble

Quartz (Silicon Dioxide - SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan to yellow (due to iron inclusions). Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when polished by water). Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal (though the specimen is cryptocrystalline/amorphous in shape due to erosion). Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Tan to yellow (due to iron inclusions)
Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when polished by water)

Identified April 11, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal processes or silica-rich volcanic environments. This specific specimen is a water-worn river stone, meaning it was shaped by fluvial erosion over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used primarily for decorative landscaping, filler in construction, or as a tumble-polishing specimen for beginners.

Geological facts

Quartz is one of the most abundant and durable minerals on Earth's crust. Yellow varieties can naturally transform into 'Citrine' if subjected to high heat, though most yellow pebbles get their color from limonite staining.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (cannot be scratched by a steel blade) and conchoidal fracture where it has chipped. It is extremely common in riverbeds, beaches, and glacial till worldwide.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral