metamorphic
Quartzite Pebble
Metamorphosed Quartz Sandstone (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-tan/buff; Luster: Dull to waxy; Texture: Granular, crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pinkish-tan/buff
- Luster
- Dull to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pinkish-tan/buff; Luster: Dull to waxy; Texture: Granular, crystalline; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone subjected to high heat and pressure, causing the original quartz grains to recrystallize into an interlocking mosaic.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as crushed stone in construction, railway ballast, and sometimes as decorative landscaping stone or for manufacturing glass-grade silica.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that when it breaks, it fractures through the quartz grains rather than along their boundaries, unlike sandstone. It is highly resistant to chemical weathering.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its ability to scratch glass and its grainy, sugary appearance despite being very hard. Commonly found in mountain belts or as rounded pebbles in riverbeds and glacial deposits.
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