metamorphic
Quartzite with Quartz Vein
Quartzite (primarily SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Grayish-green with a white crystalline band. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Crystal structure: Trigonal (microcrystalline). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Grayish-green with a white crystalline band
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Grayish-green with a white crystalline band. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Crystal structure: Trigonal (microcrystalline). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure. The white band is a secondary hydrothermal quartz vein that filled a fracture in the rock.
Uses & applications
Used as a decorative stone in landscaping, as a construction aggregate, and occasionally in the manufacturing of glass and ceramics if high purity.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often forms the caps of hills and ridges because it resists erosion better than the surrounding rock.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its granular, sugary texture. Common in ancient mountain belts and metamorphic terrains globally.
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