
sedimentary
Sandstone
Quartzose Sandstone
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 6-7 on Mohs scale, colors range from tan to brown and red, dull to earthy luster, composed primarily of quartz grains with a clastic texture.
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, colors range from tan to brown and red, dull to earthy luster, composed primarily of quartz grains with a clastic texture.
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 as a construction material for building facades, paving stones, and retaining walls, as well as in the manufacture of glass.
Geological facts
Sandstone formations often preserve ancient ripple marks and fossilized tracks, providing key insights into prehistoric environments and climates.
Field identification & locations
Readily identified by its gritty, sandpaper-like texture and visible mineral grains, commonly found in sedimentary basins and mountainous regions 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