metamorphic
Yellow Quartzite Pebble
Quartzite (primarily SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Yellow-orange due to iron oxide staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Granular/crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Yellow-orange due to iron oxide staining
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Yellow-orange due to iron oxide staining; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Granular/crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure. The individual quartz grains recrystallize into a locked mosaic of crystals. This specimen has been rounded by fluvial (river) or coastal water erosion.
Uses & applications
Used as decorative landscaping stone, in construction as crushed stone, and occasionally in lapidary work for tumbling and polishing.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so strong that when it breaks, it fractures through the quartz grains rather than along the boundaries between them, unlike sandstone.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its grainy, sugary appearance under a lens. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial moraines, and ancient mountain belts across the globe.
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