metamorphic
Flesh-colored Quartzite
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pinkish-red, flesh-colored, or tan; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.6–2.7
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Pinkish-red, flesh-colored, or tan
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pinkish-red, flesh-colored, or tan; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal; 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 interlocking crystalline structure results from recrystallization of quartz grains. Commonly found in Proterozoic and Paleozoic formations.
Uses & applications
Used as decorative stone, railway ballast, aggregate for road construction, and in the production of glass and industrial silica products.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard that it can scratch steel and glass. It is often more weather-resistant than the granite it may resemble. Flesh-colored variants often owe their hue to microscopic inclusions of iron oxide (hematite).
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (scratches glass) and its grainy, sandpaper-like texture that has been fused into a crystalline mass. Common in mountainous regions like the Appalachians or the Precambrian Shield of Canada. Collectors look for smooth, river-tumbled specimens.
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