Rocky Mountain Quartzite™
Quarried from the vast reserves of quartzite in the Raft River Range of the Rocky Mountains, Rocky Mountain Quartzite is one of the most unique building stones on earth. The most valuable characteristics of the stone are a result of its geologic history as annually deposited layers at the bottom of an ancient water body. When the water drained from the ancient Snake River Plain, wind and water continued to deposit feldspars and silica which compressed into quartz sandstone. After a billion years of heat and pressure, this lake bed was metamorphosed into stratified quartzite which now sits at elevations of up to 7,000 feet. The sedimentary layers which we quarry split naturally and easily along these ancient bedding planes in even thicknesses, although thickness varies from one layer to another given the amount of sediment that was deposited in a given year. As a result of the enormous amounts of heat and pressure of metamorphosis, Rocky Mountain Quartzite is able to maintain the highest standard of hardness, porosity, flexure and compressive strength – even when split into wide, thin sheets of flagstone or sawn into E-Z Set™ Thin Veneer.
Technical Information
| Slip Resistance | .71 Friction | ||
| Hardness | 8.5 Moh’s | ||
| Weight | 165 lbs/cubic ft | ||
| Compressive Strength | ASTM C170 | ||
| Water Absorption | ASTM C-97 | ||
| Flexure | 3500 psi |
Rocky Mountain Granite™
Wedged in the vast quartzite deposits of the Raft River Range of the Rockies lies a pocket of granite gneiss. Unlike most granites, Rocky Mountain Granite™ is actually a metamorphic stone, like the quartzite that surrounds it, and possesses unique characteristics as a result. Much like quartzite RMG™ has straight and nearly parallel bedding planes which make for easy quarrying and veneer applications. Beyond initial splitting, pieces are guillotine trimmed to mosaic, square or rectangular pieces. Beacuase of its hardness and density whish is comparable to the strongest granite and quartzite, RMG™ is suited for the most severe freeze-thaw conditions. RMG™ is characterized by quartz intrusions and iron oxides that create a neutral desert sage color scheme. Most pieces have a neutral grey-blue base with white rippled accents and splashes of earth-tones.
Turquoise Stone™
Some of the most unique quartzite you will ever see, Turquoise Stone™ is a naturally occuring wonder of geology. In remote Park Valley, Utah, a short stretch of the Rocky Mountains seem to be tinted green by the exposed earth jutting out from the sagebrush. A unique blend of intrusions in the local quartzite have produced a striking aquamarine quartzite often complemented by fired tawny layering on seam faces. The metamorphic structure of this quartzite is very similar to our Rocky Mountain Quartzite™, maintaining nearly the same outstanding hardness, compressive strength and water absorption rates. Turquoise Stone™ has been extremely popular for landscaping materials such as aggregate and boulders, as well as in thin veneer applications. Masons, Architects and homeowners across America come to Northern Stone Supply, Inc. exclusively for this unique building stone.
