sedimentary
Ferruginous Sandstone
Clastic Sedimentary Rock (Sandstone with Iron Oxide cement)
Hardness: 6-7 (individual grains), Color: reddish-brown to dark brown, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Structure: Granular/Clastic, Cleavage: None
- Luster
- Dull/Earthy, Structure: Granular/Clastic, Cleavage: None
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Ferruginous Sandstone in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (individual grains), Color: reddish-brown to dark brown, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Structure: Granular/Clastic, Cleavage: None
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation and cementation of sand-sized minerals. The reddish-brown color comes from iron oxide (hematite or limonite) acting as a binding agent. These typically form in fluvial or desert environments.
Uses & applications
Primarily used as a building material, paving stone, or industrial sand when crushed. Sometimes used to extract iron if concentrations are high.
Geological facts
The red colors in the Grand Canyon and many famous landscapes in the American Southwest are primarily due to ferruginous sandstone layers.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its gritty sandpaper-like texture and its characteristic rust-red or brown color rub-off. Found globally in basins and sedimentary outcroppings.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Cone-in-cone structure (Limestone)
Cone-in-cone structure (Secondary Sedimentary Structure)
sedimentary
Chert Breccia
Brecciated Chert (Microcrystalline Silica)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary
Shale or Slaty Mudstone
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary