metamorphic
Quartzite
Metamorphic Quartz Rock (SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and granular crystal structure with variable colors including white, gray, pink, and purple.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on Mohs scale, vitreous luster, conchoidal fracture, and granular crystal structure with variable colors including white, gray, pink, and purple.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone under intense heat and tectonic pressure, typically taking millions of years in mountain-building environments.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in construction for road aggregates, railroad ballast, dimension stone, and manufactured countertops due to extreme durability.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that parent sandstone weathers much faster, leaving quartzite ridges standing high above surrounding landscapes as resistant mountains.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by steel and the way it breaks across quartz grains rather than around them. Found globally in ancient orogenic belts.
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