Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of sand-sized mineral particles or rock fragments held together by a mineral cement. Collectors often look for unique bedding patterns, iron staining, or inclusions like fossilized organic material. It forms in various environments including beaches, deserts, and river channels.
Is this 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 sandstone with a known reference. Sandstone sits at Mohs 6-7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Sandstone leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Sandstone typically shows a dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: tan, brown, yellow, red, gray, white.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Sandstone vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside sandstone
Minerals reported to co-occur with 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
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Construction, Building Stone, Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Basins
- Typical price
- $1-20 for specimens depending on aesthetic color or fossils
Where rockhounds find sandstone
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- United States
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Australia
- India
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary basins country — that is the host setting where sandstone typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, feldspar, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Carolina — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find sandstone on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
