Friday, 31 January 2014

Sandstone


 Sandstone is also known as the arenite sometimes. It is a classic sedimentary rock which as a main composition includes rock grains and sand sized minerals. Since feldspar and the quartz are the most common minerals that are found in the crust of the earth; they form the main constitution of sand stones. Rock formations which are mainly made of the sand stones have a tendency of allowing the percolation of fluids like water etc. These are porous in nature and store large quantities of water and other fluids. In this way the rock formations become petroleum reservoir and aquifiers. In some cases sandstones which are quartz bearing are changed into quartzite by following various processes of pressure and heating which are related to the tectonic compression within the orogenic belts.

Chemical Composition

The chemical composition of the sand stone is discussed below:

Framework Grains

These are the sand sized particles which further help in making bulk of sandstone. They are usually of the size between 1/16 mm to 2 mm in their diameter. These framework grains are then further sub divided into various categories. These are:

Quartz Framework Grains

These are the minerals which are found in majority in most of the sedimentary rocks. They are important as they have magnificent physical properties of hardness and chemical stability. Due to these physical properties; in various recycle events these quartz grains are allowed to survive. Sandstone manufacturers in India primarily look for this particular grain in the piece of sandstone. These grains are however originated from the recycled sandstone and plutonic rocks having felsic origin.

Feldspathic Framework Grains: 

It can be regarded as one more important property that is looked by the sandstone suppliers in India. Their abundance in the sandstone comes to the second position. They can also be subdivided further into 2 categories:

Plagioclase Feldspar
This group consists of solid solution minerals. Their range of composition varies from NaAlSi3O8 to CaAl2Si2O8.
Alkali Feldspar: Complete solid solution is represented by this group. Its composition ranges from KAlSi3O8 to NaAlSi3O8.

Lithic Framework Grains
It includes pieces of rocks from ancient source which are not weathered away yet in to mineral grains called clasts or lithic fragments. The most common lithic segment in the sandstone rocks is the clast of the volcanic rocks. In most of the sand stone delivered by the exporters of sandstone in India; this is a common content. 

Accessory Minerals

Every other mineral grain that is found in the sandstone falls under this category. However their percent in stone is very small. Some common examples of this category include pyroxene, corundum, olivine, micas (biotite and muscovite).  Almost in every sandstone piece found by the sandstone manufacturers in India; these minerals are definite to be found.

Matrix:

 Present in the interstitial pore space of the frame work grains, matrix is a quite fine mineral. This interstitial pore is then further divided into 2 major types:
Wackes: These are texturally dirty type of the sandstones and have major matrix content.  

Arenites

These are clean textured sandstone which either are free of matrix or have a very little percent of that. 
Cement: It is the reason the siliclastic framework grains are attached together. This mineral of secondary type is formed after burial of the sandstone. Its further divisions are:

Silica
These type of cement consist either opal or quartz minerals. Later is the most common type of the silicate mineral acting as cement.
Calcite: It is the most common type of the carbonate cement. Due to this the framework grains are adhered to each other.

Others

These are the minerals including limonite, anhydrite, hematite, gypsum, zeolite minerals and feldspars. 
Pore Space: this is the open spaces between the soil and a rock. It is directly responsible for the permeability and the porosity of the rock. Due to this factor it is being looked extensively by the exporters of sandstone in India in the exported stones.

Uses

No stone can be popular just for its looks if it is not useful in any particular way. There are several uses of the sandstone that makes it popular and highly demanded among various clients. Given below are some of its uses:

Building Purposes

This can be regarded as a most common type of use of the sandstones. These are used for the building purposes due to the fact that they are highly touch and hard materials. It is the most common purpose for which the stone are supplied by the sandstone suppliers in India.

Household and Office Uses

Various household uses of the sandstone include its use in creating slabs, floorings, designing counterparts etc. A major production of the sandstone manufacturers in India is consumed for these purposes. Also getting popular at an increasing speed are the sandstone tiles which are used due to their slight glimmer effect and gridlock cementing feature.    

 Indian Sand Stone

Sandstones supplied by the exporters of sandstone in India are no doubt of the good quality. Here are the examples of some of the sandstone delivered by the sand stone suppliers in India:

Dholpur Beige, Dholpur Pink, Agra Red, Autumn brown, Kandla Grey, Raj Green, Yellow, rainbow sandstone, mint fossil sandstone, mint white sandstone, mint mix color sandstone, mint natural sandstone, modak sandstone, manada red sandstone, teakwood sandstone, raj multi sandstone and raj pink sandstone.

As can be seen from the above given examples; most of the sand stones delivered by the sandstone suppliers in India are named based on their origin and their color. There are various colors of the sand stone available that can be picked by the user depending on his taste and use.


To be precise it is a fair time for the sandstone manufacturers in India; it is due to the fact that Indian sandstone is demanded and liked by people in the western countries. Thus more and more chances of exports are created for the Indian exporters.