sedimentary

Sandstone

Sedimentary Clastic Rock (Quartz Arenite)

Hardness on Mohs scale: 6 to 7 for quartz-rich varieties. Color: Varies widely including tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, and pink. Luster: Dull to earthy. Crystal structure: Clastic (composed of mineral particles or rock fragments cemented together). Cleavage: None. Specific Gravity: 2.2 to 2.8.

Luster: Dull to earthy

Identified August 3, 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 of mineral particles or rock fragments, principally quartz and feldspar, usually deposited by water, wind, or ice in environments such as deserts, beaches, and rivers. Can range from millions to billions of years old.

Uses & applications

Widely used as a construction material for building and paving, as well as in the manufacture of glass, concrete, and abrasive products.

Geological facts

Sandstone is porous and permeable, making it an excellent aquifer for storing groundwater and natural oil. Famous structures around the world, including Petra in Jordan and many historic buildings, are carved from or built with sandstone.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified in the field by its gritty texture like sandpaper and visible grains. Commonly found in sedimentary basins, cliffs, and desert regions worldwide.

Other sedimentary specimens

See all

Sandstone or Siltstone

Arenite (if sandstone)

Sedimentary

Quartz pebble

Silicon dioxide (SiO2)

sedimentary

Fossiliferous Concretion

Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids

fossil

Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment

Lithic fragment / Weathered rock

sedimentary

Sedimentary Sandstone

Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)

sedimentary

Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble

Siltstone / Argillite

sedimentary