Definition
Definition
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
A carbonate rock which is matrix supported and contains over 10% allochems in a carbonate mud matrix.
History
Origin
Pennines, England
Unknown
Discoverer
J.J. Ferber
Unknown
Etymology
From Grit + Stone
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Earthy
Clastic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Layered and Foliated
Rough and Dull
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Available
Not Available
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Pottery
Types
Types
Not Available
Marl, Shale and Argillite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Available
Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Present
Present
Formation
Formation
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Wackestone is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. These particles settle down and are then compacted due to high temperature and pressure hence forming Wackestone.
Composition
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-72-3
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull
Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2225.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Perfect
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.2502.2-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.2 g/cm32.4-2.8 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.39 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland
Not Available
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia