Sandstone
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:IveGoneAway" title="User:IveGoneAway">IveGoneAway</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameSandstone
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness6
Crystal Systemamorphous
Lusterdull
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureuneven
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorsgreenish-gray, white, dark gray
Transparencyopaque
Type LocalityOgallala Formation, Valentine Formation, Hays, Rush County, Kansas
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesbuilding material, construction aggregate, reservoir rock, abrasive
Associated Mineralsquartz, feldspar, opal, clay minerals, iron oxides
Raritycommon
Description
A greenish-gray, clastic sedimentary rock with visible white to off-white and some dark gray clasts, exhibiting a granular texture.
Geological Context
Sandstone forms from the lithification of sand-sized grains in various sedimentary environments like rivers, beaches, and deserts. This sample is from the Ogallala and Valentine Formations, which are significant Cenozoic fluvial deposits in the Great Plains.
