mineral

Yellow Quartz / Quartz Pebble

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale yellow to translucent tan; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy when water-worn; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pale yellow to translucent tan
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy when water-worn

Identified March 5, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within igneous pegmatites. This specific specimen is a 'river stone' or 'beach pebble,' meaning it was eroded from its primary source and rounded over thousands of years by the mechanical action of water and abrasive sediment.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as decorative gravel, in landscaping, or as a pocket stone. Industrial quartz is used in glass making, electronics (due to piezoelectric properties), and abrasives.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Yellow varieties of quartz are often called Citrine if the color is natural and vibrant, though most common yellow river pebbles get their hue from micro-inclusions of iron oxides (limonite).

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its lack of cleavage planes. Found globally in riverbeds, glacial till, and coastal areas. Collectors value specimens with high clarity or interesting internal fractures.

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