metamorphic
Quartzite Lithic Fragment (Possible Arrowhead Tip / Flake)
Quartzite (SiO2 with minor mineral inclusions)
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; reddish-brown to pinkish tan color due to iron oxides; dull to vitreous luster; granular, sugary texture composed of interlocking quartz grains; lacks distinct cleavage; break surfaces show conchoidal to uneven fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 on Mohs scale; reddish-brown to pinkish tan color due to iron oxides; dull to vitreous luster; granular, sugary texture composed of interlocking quartz grains; lacks distinct cleavage; break surfaces show conchoidal to uneven fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional or contact metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and pressure, causing quartz grains to recrystallize into a dense, hard interlocking network.
Uses & applications
Historically used by ancient cultures for making knapped stone tools like arrowheads, scrapers, and blades due to its durability and sharp edges when fractured; modern uses include crushed stone for construction and railway ballast.
Geological facts
Quartzite is extremely tough and weather-resistant, often outlasting surrounding softer rocks in riverbeds and surface scatters. Small triangular flakes or points like this were frequently worked into projectile points by knappers.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its sugary, crystalline texture and high hardness (scratches glass). This piece shows a triangular form with pressure-flaked or broken edges typical of a broken arrowhead tip or knapping debitage.
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