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Geology Specimen, Quartzite

Geology Specimen, Quartzite

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Wyndham and District Historical Museum

Quartzite is a hard, non-foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone. Pure quartzite is usually white to grey, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink and red due to varying amounts of iron oxide. Other colors, such as yellow, green, blue and orange, are due to other minerals. When sandstone is cemented to quartzite, the individual quartz grains recrystallize along with the former cementing material to form an interlocking mosaic of quartz crystals. Most or all of the original texture and sedimentary structures of the sandstone are erased by the metamorphism. The grainy, sandpaper-like surface becomes glassy in appearance.Minor amounts of former cementing materials, iron oxide, silica, carbonate and clay, often migrate during recrystallisation and metamorphosis. This causes streaks and lenses to form within the quartzite.

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    31 Balaclava Street, Wyndham

Wyndham and District Historical Museum

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  • Text adapted with permission from Te Papa and Digital NZ

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