metamorphic
Yellow Quartzite (Yellow Jasper)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellowish-tan to golden brown; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Microcrystalline/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Yellowish-tan to golden brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellowish-tan to golden brown; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Structure: Microcrystalline/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed from quartz-rich sandstone through heat and pressure (metamorphism) that causes the sand grains to recrystallize. Often found as water-worn pebbles in riverbeds or coastal deposits.
Uses & applications
Used primarily for decorative landscaping, lapidary work (cabochons), tumbling for collectors, and historically as a tool stone due to its hardness and predictability when fractured.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it can withstand intense chemical and physical weathering, often outlasting the bedrock it originated from to form river gravels.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its grainy, sugary texture on freshly broken surfaces. Common in riverbeds and mountainous regions globablly.
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