Definition
Sandstone is defined as a rock which is composed of sand-sized grains of various minerals mostly of uniform size and often are smooth and rounded
A water-soluble mineral sediment resulting from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution
Discoverer
Unknown
Usiglio
Etymology
From its composition, sand and stone
From a sediment left after the evaporation
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
Earthy
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Colourless, Green, Grey, Silver, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Used in the manufacture of Ceramic Powder, Used in the preparation of Sulfuric Acid and Silicon Diborite
Types
Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Splintery, Veined
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Abu Simbel in Egypt, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Dom in Berlin, Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, India Gate in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Khajuraho Temples, India, Leh Palace in Leh, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Luxor Temple in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Petra in Jordan, Qutb Minar in India, Red Fort in Delhi, India, Sanchi Stupa in India
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts. It forms when sand layers are buried under sediments of sand.
Evaporite is water-soluble mineral sediment which forms from concentration and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Calcite, Cancrinite, Gypsum, Kyanite, Magnetite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
CaMg(CO3)2, CaO, Calcium Sulfate, KCl, MgO, NaCl
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Toughness
2.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
2.86-2.99
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan
Not Available
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Not Available
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Sandstone and Evaporite Properties
Know all about Sandstone and Evaporite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Sandstone and Evaporite belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Sandstone is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Evaporite is Earthy. Sandstone appears Rough and Evaporite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Sandstone is dull while that of Evaporite is subvitreous to dull. Sandstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors whereas Evaporite is available in colourless, green, grey, silver, white colors. The commercial uses of Sandstone are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Evaporite are used in the manufacture of ceramic powder, used in the preparation of sulfuric acid and silicon diborite.