Hardness: Variable, soft to hard, dependent on clast and cement composition.Ĭolour: Variable through grey, yellow, red to white reflecting the variation in mineral content and cement.Ĭlasts: Dominantly quartz and feldspar ( orthoclase, plagioclase) with lithic clasts and varying minor amounts of other minerals. – 2mm clasts visible to the naked eye, often identifiable. Quartz-bearing sandstone can be changed into quartzite through metamorphism, usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Sandstone can be porous, allowing it to hold and transmit fluids, such as water or oil, and this property makes it an important reservoir rock in the petroleum industry. The degree of cementation can vary, and this can affect the strength and durability of the rock. Sandstone is typically a well-cemented rock, meaning that the sand grains are held together by some type of mineral cement, such as silica, calcium carbonate, or iron oxide. The color of sandstone can also vary widely depending on the mineral composition and impurities, ranging from white or light gray to red, brown, or even green. The mineral composition of sandstone can vary widely, but common minerals include quartz, feldspar, mica, and clay minerals. It is a common rock type that is found all around the world, often forming in areas where there is a lot of sand accumulation, such as in deserts, riverbeds, or coastal areas. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized mineral particles or rock fragments.

Quartzose sandstone (Hinckley Sandstone, Neoproterozoic Hinckley, Minnesota, USA) Sandstone Geological formations and locations where sandstone is commonly found.Uses and applications of sandstone in construction, architecture, and other industries.Petrographic analysis techniques for sandstone.Depositional environments and sediment sources for sandstone formation.Types of sandstone based on composition.

Cement compositions