metamorphic
Quartzite
Metamorphic Quartz Arenite (SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors range from white to gray and yellowish-brown, vitreous to greasy luster, and conchoidal fracture.
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore Quartzite in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, colors range from white to gray and yellowish-brown, vitreous to greasy luster, and conchoidal fracture.
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 roads, for railroad ballast, and occasionally as decorative stone or in manufacturing refractory bricks.
Geological facts
Quartzite is extremely durable and resistant to weathering, often forming prominent mountain ridges where softer surrounding rocks have eroded.
Field identification & locations
Identified easily by its inability to be scratched by steel and its lack of effervescence with acid; commonly found globally in ancient orogenic belts.
More like this
