metamorphic
Pink Quartzite
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink to reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Granular/Crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pink to reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink to reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Granular/Crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone. Under intense heat and pressure, the individual quartz grains recrystallize and fuse together into a dense, hard rock. This process can occur over millions of years during mountain-building events.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone for road gravel and railway ballast. Due to its hardness and aesthetic pink color, it is frequently used for decorative building stone, countertops, tiling, and landscape design.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard that it will scratch glass and steel. It is often confused with marble, but unlike marble, quartzite will not fizz when exposed to weak acids like lemon juice or vinegar.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its extreme hardness and its tendency to break through the quartz grains rather than around them (unlike sandstone). Commonly found in folded mountain belts globally. Key indicator of high-grade regional metamorphism.
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