sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan, yellow, or reddish-brown, Luster: dull/earthy, Crystal Structure: clastic (granular), Cleavage: none, Specific Gravity: 2.2-2.8
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale), Color: tan, yellow, or reddish-brown, Luster: dull/earthy, Crystal Structure: clastic (granular), Cleavage: none, Specific Gravity: 2.2-2.8
Formation & geological history
Formed through the accumulation and cementation of sand-sized mineral grains, usually quartz or feldspar. These grains are deposited by water, ice, or wind in environments like riverbeds, deserts, or beaches over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used as a construction material (dimension stone) for buildings, paving, and decorative garden features. Also used as a source of high-purity silica for glass manufacturing.
Geological facts
Sandstone can reveal ancient environments through cross-bedding and ripple marks preserved in the rock layers. Many of the famous canyons in the American Southwest, like the Grand Canyon, are composed of massive sandstone formations.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its gritty, sandpaper-like texture and visible sand grains. It is extremely common in sedimentary basins and along coastlines. It can be easily scratched by a steel nail but will scratch glass if it is quartz-rich.
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Other sedimentary specimens
Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary limestone with invertebrate fossil imprint
fossil
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Quartz pebble
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
sedimentary
Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment
Lithic fragment / Weathered rock
sedimentary
Sedimentary Sandstone
Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)
sedimentary
Shale (or Mudstone/Siltstone)
Sedimentary Mudrock (SiO2, Al2O3 base with clay minerals)
sedimentary