metamorphic
Quartz-Veined Slate or Greenstone
Metamorphic rock with quartz vein (SiO2)
Hardness varies around 3-4 for the host metamorphic rock and 7 for the quartz vein. Color is dark grayish-green with a white to yellowish quartz vein. Luster is dull to sub-vitreous. Cleavage is well-developed foliation in the host rock.
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Physical properties
Hardness varies around 3-4 for the host metamorphic rock and 7 for the quartz vein. Color is dark grayish-green with a white to yellowish quartz vein. Luster is dull to sub-vitreous. Cleavage is well-developed foliation in the host rock.
Formation & geological history
Formed through regional metamorphism of fine-grained sedimentary rocks like shale or mudstone, later fractured and hydrothermally injected with silica-rich fluids that crystallized into a quartz vein.
Uses & applications
Mostly specimen collecting, lapidary display, or educational geology purposes.
Geological facts
Quartz veins in metamorphic rocks are common pathways for hydrothermal fluids, which frequently host valuable ore minerals such as gold or copper sulfides.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified in the field by contrasting light-colored mineral veins (usually quartz or calcite) cutting sharply across a darker, foliated metamorphic host rock.
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