metamorphic
Red Quartzite Slipper Stone
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Dull to waxy when unpolished; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities
- Luster
- Dull to waxy when unpolished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Dull to waxy when unpolished; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under intense heat and pressure, often in orogenic (mountain-building) zones. This specific rounded shape suggests long-term water erosion in a river or beach environment.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative landscaping stone, in construction as crushed stone for road beds, and occasionally as a tumbling medium for rock polishers.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it often survives intense weathering that destroys softer rocks around it. Red quartzite specifically gets its color from hematite (iron oxide) staining during or after the rock's formation.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its interlocking crystalline texture. Frequently found in glacial till or riverbeds in regions with ancient metamorphic bedrock.
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