Quartzite is a metamorphic rock composed almost entirely of quartz. Typically, quartzite forms from silica-rich sandstone that was exposed to intense metamorphic heat and pressure. Individual sand grains in the original sandstone recrystallized and cemented together under the process of intense heat and pressure to form a super hard rock.
Where is it found?
The best places to find quartzite in the province are along the shores of Hudson Bay in northeastern Manitoba. Large grey domed rocky outcrops of Churchill quartzite emerge from the tundra and limestone shorelines and form a series of beautiful ice-sculpted grey hills where polar bears love to hide! In the town of Churchill, uses for quartzite include building stone and crushed stone for gravel in road construction. During the 1700s, Fort Prince of Wales and Cape Merry Battery, Manitoba’s only military fort, included the use of Churchill quartzite. More recently, the rock helped form the weir or low dyke situated along the Churchill River, and used in support of local fishing activities. At Sloops’ Cove, a National Historic site located at the mouth of the Churchill River, you can find a famous signature, the name of adventurer, naturalist and explorer Samuel Hearne, etched into the quartzite and still visible after almost 300 years of weathering!
Quartzite
Quartzite is a metamorphic rock composed almost entirely of quartz. Typically, quartzite forms from silica-rich sandstone that was exposed to intense metamorphic heat and pressure. Individual sand grains in the original sandstone recrystallized and cemented together under the process of intense heat and pressure to form a super hard rock.
Where is it found?
The best places to find quartzite in the province are along the shores of Hudson Bay in northeastern Manitoba. Large grey domed rocky outcrops of Churchill quartzite emerge from the tundra and limestone shorelines and form a series of beautiful ice-sculpted grey hills where polar bears love to hide! In the town of Churchill, uses for quartzite include building stone and crushed stone for gravel in road construction. During the 1700s, Fort Prince of Wales and Cape Merry Battery, Manitoba’s only military fort, included the use of Churchill quartzite. More recently, the rock helped form the weir or low dyke situated along the Churchill River, and used in support of local fishing activities. At Sloops’ Cove, a National Historic site located at the mouth of the Churchill River, you can find a famous signature, the name of adventurer, naturalist and explorer Samuel Hearne, etched into the quartzite and still visible after almost 300 years of weathering!
