sedimentary
Sandstone
Sedimentary Rock (Quartzose Sandstone)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (due to quartz grains); Color: Tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, or white; Luster: Dull to vitreous on individual crystal faces; Structure: Clastic, composed of cemented mineral particles or rock fragments, primarily quartz and feldspar; Cleavage: None, fractures irregularly.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale (due to quartz grains)
- Color
- Tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, or white
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous on individual crystal faces
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (due to quartz grains); Color: Tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, or white; Luster: Dull to vitreous on individual crystal faces; Structure: Clastic, composed of cemented mineral particles or rock fragments, primarily quartz and feldspar; Cleavage: None, fractures irregularly.
Formation & geological history
Formed by the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles or rock fragments, most commonly quartz sand, deposited by water, wind, or ice in environments such as deserts, rivers, beaches, and shallow marine settings over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction as a building and paving material, dimension stone, monument construction, and historically for grindstones.
Geological facts
Sandstone layers often record ancient environmental conditions and wind or water currents through visible cross-bedding structures. Famous geological formations like Zion National Park and Petra are carved entirely out of massive sandstone layers.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its characteristic grainy, sandpaper-like texture and visible sand-sized grains. Common worldwide in sedimentary basins, desert regions, and coastal cliffs.
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