sedimentary
Sandstone
Clastic sedimentary rock (quartz arenite)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 6-7 on Mohs scale; colors vary from tan, brown, yellow to red; dull luster; composed primarily of quartz sand grains cemented by silica or calcite.
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 6-7 on Mohs scale; colors vary from tan, brown, yellow to red; dull luster; composed primarily of quartz sand grains cemented by silica or calcite.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles or rock fragments, typically in desert, river, or marine environments over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction as a building stone, paving material, and in the manufacture of glass and abrasives.
Geological facts
Sandstone frequently preserves ripple marks and fossil tracks, offering clues to ancient environments.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its gritty, sandpaper-like texture and visible sand grains. Found worldwide in sedimentary basins and escarpments.
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