Red sandstone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of sand-sized silicate grains cemented together by iron oxide, which gives it its characteristic red or reddish-brown coloration. It is typically formed in terrestrial or desert environments where the oxidation of iron minerals occurs during deposition. Rockhounders often find it as massive outcrops or weathered boulders, valued for its unique banded patterns and historical use in building stone.
Is this red sandstone?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch red sandstone with a known reference. Red Sandstone sits at Mohs 6-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the textureLook at a fresh break with a hand lens. Texture: Clastic. Grain size: Sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm).
- 3Pick out the mineralsComposition: Mostly quartz or feldspar grains cemented together by another mineral. Identify the two or three most abundant grains.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, red-brown, rust, maroon.
Often confused with
Red Sandstone vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside red sandstone
Minerals reported to co-occur with red sandstone. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6-7
- Density
- 2.0-2.6 g/cm³
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Construction, Architectural
- Host rock
- sedimentary basins
- Texture
- Clastic
- Grain size
- Sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm)
- Composition
- Mostly quartz or feldspar grains cemented together by another mineral
Where rockhounds find red sandstone
Classic worldwide localities
- Scotland
- United States
- England
- Germany
- India
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary basins. If you start seeing quartz, feldspar, hematite in float, you are in the right ground.
Common questions
How do you identify red sandstone?+
Where is red sandstone found?+
What rocks look like red sandstone?+
What minerals are found with red sandstone?+
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What is red sandstone used for?+
Find red sandstone on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
