sedimentary
Red Sandstone
Sedimentary Litharenite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6-7 on Mohs scale, reddish-brown color due to iron oxide cement, dull luster, and granular texture with quartz grains.
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 of 6-7 on Mohs scale, reddish-brown color due to iron oxide cement, dull luster, and granular texture with quartz grains.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles or rock fragments, typically in desert or river environments over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Commonly used in construction, building facades, paving stones, and as an ornamental landscaping aggregate.
Geological facts
Red sandstone is frequently used in historical monuments and architecture worldwide due to its durability and rich color.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its visible sand-sized grains and reddish hue; found globally in sedimentary basins and desert regions.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Fossil-bearing concretion, possibly containing a fossil shell or other organic inclusion
Calcareous concretion; exact fossil and host-rock composition are not identifiable from the image
fossil
Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary limestone with invertebrate fossil imprint
fossil
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
sedimentary
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Shale (or Mudstone/Siltstone)
Sedimentary Mudrock (SiO2, Al2O3 base with clay minerals)
sedimentary