metamorphic
Quartzite
Quartzite (Metamorphosed Quartz Arenite)
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale, Color: Typically white to gray, but can be pink, brown, or yellowish due to iron impurities, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal structure: Interlocking quartz crystals, Cleavage: None (fractures conchoidally), Specific Gravity: 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale, Color: Typically white to gray, but can be pink, brown, or yellowish due to iron impurities, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal structure: Interlocking quartz crystals, Cleavage: None (fractures conchoidally), Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone or chert under high tectonic pressure and temperature, typically in mountain-building environments.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, as crushed stone for roadbeds, railway ballast, dimension stone, manufacturing of silica brick, and occasionally for countertops and decorative landscaping.
Geological facts
Quartzite is extremely durable and resistant to chemical weathering, which is why ridges formed of quartzite often persist as high mountain ranges or resistant hills.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass easily), lack of effervescence with acid, and the fact that it breaks across the quartz grains rather than around them like sandstone. Found worldwide.
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