Sandstone Properties and Uses

Study Notes

Composed mainly of quartz or feldspar, sandstone is resilient to weathering.
Available in various colors such as tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, white, and black, often reflecting regional characteristics, like the red rock deserts of Arches National Park.
It has historical importance, used globally for construction, decorative art, and tools.
Orthoquartzite, a highly pure quartz sandstone (90-95% quartz), is a candidate for Global Heritage Stone Resource nomination in Argentina.

A carbonate sedimentary rock, limestone is primarily made of calcite and aragonite.
Forms through the precipitation of these minerals from calcium-rich water; biological processes dominate in the last 540 million years.
Comprises 20%-25% of sedimentary rocks, with dolomite making up the rest.
Prone to damage from acid rain, posing a threat to artifacts and buildings, necessitating preservation measures.

A metamorphic rock resulting from the recrystallization of carbonate minerals, mostly calcite or dolomite, under heat and pressure.
Widely utilized in stonemasonry for sculptures and construction; contains a crystalline texture and is typically not foliated.
Notable types include Tennessee marble, recognized for its dense granular composition.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, has the highest concentration of white marble buildings globally.

The most silica-rich volcanic rock, often glassy or fine-grained but may contain larger crystals (phenocrysts).
Composed mainly of quartz, sanidine, and plagioclase, it is the extrusive equivalent of granite.
Commonly found along convergent plate boundaries where oceanic lithosphere is subducted.
Dominates in areas with continental lithosphere due to the ability of rising magma to assimilate crustal materials.

Intermediate volcanic rock between basalt and rhyolite, characterized by fine-grained to porphyritic texture.
Predominantly comprises sodium-rich plagioclase plus pyroxene or hornblende, containing less than 20% quartz.
Significant structures made from andesite include Sacsayhuamán in Peru, the Gate of the Sun in Bolivia, and Borobudur in Java, Indonesia.

A metamorphic rock created under high temperature and pressure, often exhibiting a banded texture.
Forms from igneous or sedimentary rocks and is common in ancient continental crust shields, like the Acasta Gneiss.
Used as a building material, particularly Facoidal gneiss in Rio de Janeiro, and as an aggregate in asphalt pavement.

A strong, non-foliated metamorphic rock transformed from pure quartz sandstone through heat and pressure.
Typically white to grey but may present colors like pink, yellow, green, blue, and orange due to mineral content.
Increasingly popular as a decorative stone for walls, roofing, flooring, and kitchen countertops.
Harder and more stain-resistant than granite, quartzite poses occupational hazards due to the release of crystalline silica dust, linked to severe respiratory diseases.