metamorphic
Quartzite
Metamorphic Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Light gray to translucent white with dark patches. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Structure: Granoblastic interlocking quartz grains. Cleavage: None (conchoidal to uneven fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on the Mohs scale
- Color
- Light gray to translucent white with dark patches
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Light gray to translucent white with dark patches. Luster: Vitreous to waxy. Structure: Granoblastic interlocking quartz grains. Cleavage: None (conchoidal to uneven fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional or contact metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone, where high heat and pressure cause quartz grains to recrystallize into a dense, interlocking matrix.
Uses & applications
Used in construction as crushed stone for road base, decorative landscaping pebble, building stone, and occasionally cut into countertops.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that during glacial erosion, quartzites often survive as rounded river and beach pebbles while surrounding softer rocks erode away.
Field identification & locations
Field identification: It will scratch glass easily (unlike marble or limestone) and will not effervesce with dilute acid. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and mountain ranges globally.
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