sedimentary
Sandstone
Quartz Arenite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectMohs hardness of 6 to 7; typically pink, brown, or red; grainy texture with a vitreous to dull luster.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Sandstone in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Mohs hardness of 6 to 7; typically pink, brown, or red; grainy texture with a vitreous to dull luster.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles or rock fragments, primarily quartz, over millions of years in desert, river, or marine environments.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction as a building stone, paving material, and for manufacturing glass.
Geological facts
Famous structures like Petra and the US Capitol were constructed using sandstone. Its distinct layers often reveal ancient wind and water current directions.
Field identification & locations
Identified in the field by its visible sand-sized grains and gritty texture; commonly found in sedimentary basins 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