Sandstone

Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock made up mostly of sand-sized particles called grains. Most sandstone is formed from grains deposited from actively moving water, such as waves on a beach or the channel in a river. The grains are typically cemented together by silica or calcite to form the sandstone rock. Sandstone is most commonly composed of quartz grains because quartz is a common mineral that is resistant to abrasion.

Sandstone, commonly buff to brown, can also be red because of the presence of iron oxides or green because of the presence of glauconite.

Sandstone has many uses in the construction industry as aggregate and building stone. The Hickory Sandstone, located in Central Texas, is a high-grade (quartz-rich) sandstone that is quarried as a material in the making of glass.

The sandstone sample in the Texas Rock Kit was collected from the Llano Uplift and is Cambrian in age.