sedimentary

Sandstone

Sedimentary Rock (Quartz arenite or arkose)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (due to quartz grains); Color: Brown, tan, red, yellow, grey, or white; Luster: Dull to earthy; Crystal structure: Clastic texture composed of sand-sized mineral particles or rock fragments; Cleavage: None (fractures irregularly); Specific gravity: 2.2-2.8

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (due to quartz grains)
Color: Brown, tan, red, yellow, grey, or white
Luster: Dull to earthy

Identified August 7, 2026More sedimentary →

Explore Sandstone in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed by the accumulation, compaction, and cementation (lithification) of mineral particles or rock fragments, predominantly quartz and feldspar, in environments such as deserts, rivers, beaches, and shallow marine settings over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Widely used in construction, building facades, paving stones, flagstone, landscaping, and historically for grinding stones and whetstones.

Geological facts

Sandstone formations, such as those found in Zion National Park or Petra, often display striking cross-bedding patterns that reveal ancient wind or water current directions.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified in the field by its gritty texture (feels like sandpaper) and visible sand grains cemented together. Found globally in sedimentary basins.

Other sedimentary specimens

See all

Sandstone or Siltstone

Arenite (if sandstone)

Sedimentary

Fossiliferous Concretion

Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids

fossil

Quartz pebble

Silicon dioxide (SiO2)

sedimentary

Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment

Lithic fragment / Weathered rock

sedimentary

Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble

Siltstone / Argillite

sedimentary

Sedimentary Sandstone

Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)

sedimentary