sedimentary
Red Sandstone
Sandstone (lithic arenite or arkose with iron oxide)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Red, reddish-brown, or orange due to hematite; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Crystal structure: Clastic (grainy); Cleavage: None; Specific gravity: 2.2-2.8
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Red, reddish-brown, or orange due to hematite
- Luster
- Dull/Earthy
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Red Sandstone in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Red, reddish-brown, or orange due to hematite; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Crystal structure: Clastic (grainy); Cleavage: None; Specific gravity: 2.2-2.8
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation and cementation of sand-sized mineral grains or rock fragments. The red color suggests deposition in an oxygen-rich environment such as a desert or river floodplain where iron minerals oxidized. Ages range from Precambrian to Recent.
Uses & applications
Used widely as a building material, decorative stone, for paving, and as an abrasive in some industrial processes.
Geological facts
Red sandstone is what gives famous landscapes like the Grand Canyon, Sedona (Arizona), and the Red Rocks of Colorado their distinctive appearance. It is a major reservoir rock for groundwater and petroleum.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its gritty, sandpaper-like texture and visible sand grains. It is commonly found in sedimentary basins and arid regions. Collectors look for interesting ripple marks or cross-bedding patterns.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Brown Sandstone (River Rock)
Arenite
sedimentary
Cone-in-cone structure (Limestone)
Cone-in-cone structure (Secondary Sedimentary Structure)
sedimentary
Shale
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary