mineral

Quartz Pebble (Water-Worn)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to translucent yellow; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal (though rounded in this specimen); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Creamy white to translucent yellow
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified May 19, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Creamy white to translucent yellow; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal (though rounded in this specimen); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed through crystallization of silica-rich magma or hydrothermal veins. This specific specimen has been shaped and smoothed by fluvial (river) or coastal water erosion over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used as decorative gravel, in lapidary work (tumbled stones), and as a primary source of silica for industrial glass making and electronics.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Its durability and chemical inertness allow it to persist long after the host rocks have weathered away.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (hardness test). Commonly found in riverbeds and on beaches worldwide. Collectors value smooth, exceptionally clear, or interestingly colored pieces.