sedimentary
Sandstone
Clastic Sedimentary Rock
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6-7 on Mohs scale, typically tan to brown or reddish, dull luster, and granular texture composed of quartz and feldspar grains.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore 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, typically tan to brown or reddish, dull luster, and granular texture composed of quartz and feldspar grains.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles or rock fragments, predominantly quartz, over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction, building facades, paving stones, and historically for grinding stones and whetstones.
Geological facts
Sandstone formations often preserve ancient desert dunes or riverbeds, providing vital clues about prehistoric climates and environments.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its gritty, sandpaper-like texture and visible sand grains; commonly found in riverbeds, deserts, and cliff sides worldwide.
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