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What is Sandstone?



Definition

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

History

Origin
-

Discoverer
Unknown

Etymology
From its composition, sand and stone

Class
Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group
-

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough

Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance
More

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
Yes

Scratch Resistant
Yes

Stain Resistant
No

Wind Resistant
Yes

Acid Resistant
Yes

Appearance
Rough

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums

Types

Types
Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister

Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

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

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Present

Formation

Formation
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts. It forms when sand layers are buried under sediments of sand.

Composition

Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism
No

Types of Metamorphism
-

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
6-7

Grain Size
Coarse or Fine

Fracture
Conchoidal

Streak
White

Porosity
Highly Porous

Luster
Dull

Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2 30

Cleavage
Perfect

Toughness
2.6

Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8

Transparency
Opaque

Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K 10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan

Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others
Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
Canada, USA

South America
Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Sedimentary Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Sandstone

What is Sandstone? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Sandstone i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Sandstone include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Sandstone is 95.00 N/mm2. Streak of Sandstone is white while its cleavage is perfect. Luster of Sandstone is dull and its fracture is conchoidal. Sandstone is opaque in nature. Know all about Sandstone, What is Sandstone, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Sandstone

What is Sandstone composed of? Get to know about composition of Sandstone here. Sandstone definition gives information about the Formation of Sandstone and its composition.The composition of Sandstone can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Sandstone rock includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz and The compound content of Sandstone rock includes Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Sandstone rock in next section.

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