metamorphic
Pink Quartzite
Quartzite (High-silica metamorphic rock)
Mohs hardness: 7; Color: Pink, reddish-tan, or grey; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (granular); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); High durability and resistance to chemical weathering.
- Hardness
- 7
- Color
- Pink, reddish-tan, or grey
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness: 7; Color: Pink, reddish-tan, or grey; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (granular); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); High durability and resistance to chemical weathering.
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 interlocking mosaic. This specimen shows significant rounding, likely from fluvial or glacial transport.
Uses & applications
Used widely in construction as crushed stone for road ballast, roofing granules, and as a decorative landscaping stone. High-purity quartzite is used to produce glass and silicon metal.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it usually breaks through the quartz grains rather than around them, unlike its parent rock sandstone. It is one of the most durable rocks on Earth's surface.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its extreme hardness (it will easily scratch glass) and lack of visible pores or individual sand grains compared to sandstone. Commonly found in ancient mountain belts and glacial till.
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