metamorphic
Pink Quartzite
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, white, and reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (granular texture); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pink, white, and reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, white, and reddish-brown due to iron oxide impurities; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (granular texture); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed from the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure. The original sand grains recrystallize and fuse together into a dense, crystalline rock. Common in ancient mountain belts.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone or decorative facing, in landscaping for aesthetic value, and as a ballast for railways. High-purity quartzite is used to produce silica sand for glass manufacturing.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so hard and chemically resistant that it often forms the resistant caps of ridges and mountains, outlasting the softer rocks around it through millions of years of erosion.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its extreme hardness (cannot be scratched by steel) and its crystalline appearance. Unlike sandstone, when broken, quartzite fractures through the quartz grains rather than around them. Found globally in Precambrian and Paleozoic metamorphic terrains.
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