Quartzite 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. Other colors, such as yellow, green, blue, and orange, are due to other minerals. Quartzite is used as a decorative stone and is becoming increasingly popular as kitchen countertops as it is harder and more stain-resistant than granite.
