metamorphic
Quartzite with inclusions
Quartzite (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Greyish-white with brown iron-oxide staining; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Greyish-white with brown iron-oxide staining
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
Identified More metamorphic →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Greyish-white with brown iron-oxide staining; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (microcrystalline); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the metamorphism of quartz sandstone under intense heat and pressure, causing the original quartz grains to recrystallize and fuse together.
Uses & applications
Commonly used as crushed stone in road construction, as railroad ballast, and occasionally for decorative landscaping or as industrial silica source.
Geological facts
Quartzite is so durable that it often remains as ridges or peaks while softer rocks around it erode away; this specimen shows weather-induced iron oxidation giving it a rusty appearance.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its extreme hardness (it will easily scratch glass) and lack of reaction to acid. Often found in mountain ranges or areas with ancient tectonic activity.
More like this
