Definition
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
During the impact melted material forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments together form Suevite rock.
Origin
Unknown
Canada, Germany
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From quartz + -ite
No etymologies found
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Granular
Earthy
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Lustrous
Banded
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Applicable
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Phyllosilicates, Calcite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Suevite is a metamorphic rock consisting partly of melted material, typically forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments, formed during an impact event.
Mineral Content
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Coesite, Quartz, Stishovite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Indiscernible
Irregular
Toughness
1.9
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.8
2.86
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Not Yet Found
Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Not Yet Found
Europe
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Quartzite vs Suevite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Quartzite vs Suevite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Quartzite and Properties of Suevite. Learn more about Quartzite vs Suevite in the next section. The interior uses of Quartzite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Homes whereas the interior uses of Suevite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Quartzite and Suevite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Quartzite in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of glass and ceramics, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Suevite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Quartzite and Suevite
Here you can know more about Quartzite and Suevite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Quartzite and Suevite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Quartzite includes Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz and mineral content of Suevite includes Coesite, Quartz, Stishovite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Quartzite vs Suevite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas, Suevite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink colors. Appearance of Quartzite is Lustrous and that of Suevite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Quartzite vs Suevite. The hardness of Quartzite is 6-7 and that of Suevite is 5.5. The types of Quartzite are Not Available whereas types of Suevite are Phyllosilicates, Calcite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Quartzite is white while that of Suevite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Quartzite is 0.75 kJ/Kg K and that of Suevite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Quartzite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Suevite is heat resistant.