metamorphic
Quartzite
Quartzite (chiefly SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness (7 on Mohs scale), color varies from white/grey to reddish-brown due to iron impurities, vitreous or sugary luster, no cleavage, specific gravity around 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness (7 on Mohs scale), color varies from white/grey to reddish-brown due to iron impurities, vitreous or sugary luster, no cleavage, specific gravity around 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under high heat and pressure, often in orogenic (mountain-building) belts.
Uses & applications
Used as crushed stone for road construction, railway ballast, decorative stone in masonry, and historically as a tool stone due to its durability and hardness.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so tough that it often outlasts the surrounding softer rocks, forming ridges or resistent peaks in landscape topography.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife and its tendency to break across quartz grains rather than around them. Common in folded mountain ranges.
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