metamorphic
Quartzite
Metamorphic Quartzite
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors range from white and gray to pink or yellow, vitreous to dull luster, non-foliated crystal structure, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity around 2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors range from white and gray to pink or yellow, vitreous to dull luster, non-foliated crystal structure, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity around 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and tectonic pressure, typically over hundreds of millions of years
Uses & applications
Used in construction, as crushed stone for road bases, in manufacturing refractory bricks, and occasionally as a decorative building or countertop stone
Geological facts
Because quartz is extremely resistant to weathering, quartzite hills and mountains often form prominent ridges in the landscape that withstand erosion better than surrounding rocks
Field identification & locations
Can be identified in the field by its extreme hardness (scratches glass easily), the way it breaks across quartz grains rather than around them, and its granular, sugary texture
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