metamorphic
Pink Quartzite
Quartzite (SiO2 with iron oxide impurities)
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pink to reddish-brown due to hematite; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Texture: Granular; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); High durability.
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Pink to reddish-brown due to hematite
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pink to reddish-brown due to hematite; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Texture: Granular; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); High durability.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone. High heat and pressure cause quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse together. Often found in Precambrian shield areas.
Uses & applications
Used as decorative stone in landscaping, crushed stone for road construction and railway ballast, and occasionally for carving or jewelry (tumbled stones).
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it usually breaks through the quartz grains rather than along the boundaries between them, unlike its parent stone, sandstone.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its extreme hardness (cannot be scratched by steel) and lack of reaction to acid. It is commonly found in mountain ranges and glacial deposits.
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