Quartzite is formed when sandstone comes under great heat and pressure. This is usually during periods of folding, when the sandstone comes in contact with magma within the crust.
Quartzite is grey to white in colour and extremely hard in texture. It is used in the surfacing of roads, in watches and in glass.
Quartzite can be found on the top of some mountains, such as the Sugarloaf in County Wicklow and Croagh Patrick in County Mayo.
Being literate
Select a key word that you have come across in this chapter so far. Draw a picture to represent the word. Your partner must guess what the word is and then give a definition of the word.
Croagh Patrick
Quartzite 42
Fun Fact!
The Taj Mahal in India is made entirely of marble. Construction of the Taj Mahal took around twenty years. To find out more about the construction of the Taj Mahal and why it was built, go to YouTube and look up ‘The Taj Mahal – Architecture of a Love Story’ (4:42).
