metamorphic
Quartzite (with inclusions)
SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide) rich Metamorphic Rock
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellowish-greenish white with dark greyish inclusions. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Structure: Non-foliated, fine-grained to microcrystalline. Cleavage: None (fractures conchoidally or irregularly). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on the Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale yellowish-greenish white with dark greyish inclusions
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellowish-greenish white with dark greyish inclusions. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Structure: Non-foliated, fine-grained to microcrystalline. Cleavage: None (fractures conchoidally or irregularly). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional or contact metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under high heat and pressure, causing quartz grains to recrystallize and interlock tightly.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone, railway ballast, dimension stone, and decorative landscaping rock. Exceptionally pure quartzite is also used to produce silicon metal and quartz glass.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough and weather-resistant that it often forms prominent ridges and hills, outlasting softer surrounding rocks over millions of years of erosion.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its extreme hardness (scratches glass easily) and sugary or smooth fused texture where individual sand grains are no longer distinct. Commonly found in mountainous regions, ancient glacial deposits, and riverbeds worldwide.
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