sedimentary
Sandstone / Weathered Quartzite
Sandstone (Quartz Arenite)
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale depending on quartz content. Color: Tan, beige, light brown, and grey with iron oxide staining. Luster: Dull to earthy. Crystal Structure: Granular texture composed of sand-sized grains, predominantly quartz. Cleavage: None. Specific Gravity: ~2.2 - 2.8.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on the Mohs scale depending on quartz content
- Color
- Tan, beige, light brown, and grey with iron oxide staining
- Luster
- Dull to earthy
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Sandstone / Weathered Quartzite in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale depending on quartz content. Color: Tan, beige, light brown, and grey with iron oxide staining. Luster: Dull to earthy. Crystal Structure: Granular texture composed of sand-sized grains, predominantly quartz. Cleavage: None. Specific Gravity: ~2.2 - 2.8.
Formation & geological history
Formed by the compaction and cementation of sand grains, typically composed of quartz, in marine, fluvial, or arid desert environments. Common across all geological ages from Precambrian to Recent.
Uses & applications
Widely used as a construction building stone, flagstone, paving, aggregate, and raw material for glassmaking (high-purity quartz sandstones). Rough specimens have limited ornamental value.
Geological facts
Sandstone is one of the most common sedimentary rock types on Earth, making up about 10 to 20 percent of the Earth's sedimentary rocks. Famous geological structures like the Grand Canyon display massive sandstone layers.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its distinctive gritty surface (feels like sandpaper) and visible sand-sized mineral grains under magnification. Found globally in riverbeds, cliffs, quarries, and coastal outcrops.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary
Fossiliferous Concretion
Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids
fossil
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Brown Sandstone (River Rock)
Arenite
sedimentary
Shale
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary