What is the difference between Granite and Quartzite? This is a metamorphic rock that has been formed from sandstone. But granite is an igneous rock, which means that it has crystallized and solidified from lavas molten state. Both granite and Quartzsite are natural stones, but quartzite is much harder stone. Quartzite is an extremely hard rock that is not water or acid-soluble. In its’ purest form it’s white like marble, but it can have impurities and it leads to some incredible patterns and colors. For some people, it’s the only surface that they would ever consider due to its incredible beauty and strength.
Quartzite is a decorative stone and may be used to cover walls, as roofing tiles, as flooring, and stair steps. It’s use for countertops in kitchens is expanding rapidly. It is harder and more resistant to stains than granite. Because of its hardness and angular shape, crushed quartzite is often used as railway ballast. Crushed quartzite is sometimes used in road construction. High purity quartzite is used to produce ferrosilicon, industrial silicasand, silicon and silicon carbide. During the Stone Age quartzite was used, in addition to flint, quartz, and other lithic raw materials, for making stone tools.
Quartzite (from German Quarzit) is a hard, non-foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to grey, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink and red due to varying amounts of iron oxide (Fe2O3). Other colors, such as yellow, green, blue and orange, are due to other mineral impurities. When sandstone is cemented to quartzite, the individual quartz grains recrystallize along with the former cementing material to form an interlocking mosaic of quartz crystals.
Most or all of the original texture and sedimentary structures of the sandstone are erased by the metamorphism. The grainy, sandpaper-like surface becomes glassy in appearance. Minor amounts of former cementing materials, iron oxide, silica, carbonate and clay, often migrate during recrystallization and metamorphosis. This causes streaks and lenses to form within the quartzite.
