metamorphic
Quartzite
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale pinkish-tan, beige, and white. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Fracture: Conchoidal or irregular, breaks across grains. Specific gravity: ~2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale pinkish-tan, beige, and white
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale pinkish-tan, beige, and white. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Fracture: Conchoidal or irregular, breaks across grains. Specific gravity: ~2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional or contact metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone, where high heat and intense pressure cause the quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse together solidly.
Uses & applications
Widely used as crushed stone in construction, road ballast, decorative landscaping, and historically for stone tools due to its extreme hardness and durability.
Geological facts
Quartzite is extremely resistant to chemical weathering and physical erosion, often forming prominent ridge lines and hilltops in mountainous terrains.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its hardness (scratches glass easily) and the fact that fractures break through individual sand grains rather than around them like sandstone. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial deposits, and mountainous areas worldwide.
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