metamorphic
Veined Grey Metamorphic Pebble
Quartzo-feldspathic vein in Metabasalt / Serpentinite / Slate
Hardness: 6-7 (quartz veins) and 4-6 (host rock); Color: Dark greyish-green base with prominent white to cream veins; Luster: Dull to earthy host rock with vitreous veins; Structure: Microcrystalline with fractured vein fill; Specific Gravity: approximately 2.6 - 2.8.
- Hardness
- 6-7 (quartz veins) and 4-6 (host rock)
- Color
- Dark greyish-green base with prominent white to cream veins
- Luster
- Dull to earthy host rock with vitreous veins
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (quartz veins) and 4-6 (host rock); Color: Dark greyish-green base with prominent white to cream veins; Luster: Dull to earthy host rock with vitreous veins; Structure: Microcrystalline with fractured vein fill; Specific Gravity: approximately 2.6 - 2.8.
Formation & geological history
Formed via low- to medium-grade regional metamorphism where tectonic forces fractured the host rock. Hydrothermal fluids rich in silica (quartz) or calcite precipitated into the fractures, creating criss-crossing veins before being rounded by stream or coastal wave action.
Uses & applications
Primarily collected as a decorative beach stone, used in landscaping, river-rock features, lapidary polishing, or educational specimens representing tectonic fracturing and hydrothermal vein formation.
Geological facts
The white veins represent ancient fractures in the Earth's crust where mineral-rich hot fluids flowed and crystallized millions of years ago. These are often called 'wishing stones' in coastal folklore when a single uninterrupted white line circles the entire rock.
Field identification & locations
Look for dark, fine-grained host rock crisscrossed by bright white mineral veins that resist weathering slightly differently than the surrounding matrix. Commonly found along river beds, glacial deposits, and ocean beaches worldwide.
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