metamorphic
Quartzite
Metamorphic Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, color ranges from white and grey to yellow, pink, and brown, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, color ranges from white and grey to yellow, pink, and brown, vitreous to greasy luster, trigonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture, specific gravity of 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed from quartz-rich sandstone or chert under high temperatures and pressures associated with tectonic compression during regional metamorphism.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, as crushed stone for roadbeds, in decorative aggregates, and occasionally for countertops and sculptures.
Geological facts
Quartzite is exceptionally durable and weather-resistant, often forming prominent mountain ridges because it erodes much slower than surrounding rocks.
Field identification & locations
Can be identified in the field by its extreme hardness (scratches glass easily), inability to be scratched by a knife, and the way it fractures across quartz grains rather than around them like sandstone.
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