gritstone
Rough sedimentary stone
Gritstone is a coarse-grained sandstone, typically containing angular quartz grains that give it a rough, gritty texture.
The rock is prized for millstones—its abrasive surface grinds grain effectively—and appears in building construction throughout northern England: The old farmhouse was built of local gritstone.
Rock climbers seek out gritstone crags for their challenging friction holds.
Formed from deposited material
- silicaSilicon dioxide compound
- quartzCrystalline silicon dioxide
- grainsSmall hard seeds
- strataParallel geological layers
outcrop · bedrock · erosion · deposition · cementation · compaction · sediment · conglomerate
Rough in texture
- grainyRough with particles
- roughUneven in surface
- grainedHaving visible texture lines
- pittedSeed removed, or opposed
abrasive · tactile · hard · rugged · weathered · fissured · crumbly · knobbly
Steep rugged outcrop
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- smearingSpreading by rubbing
- jammingBlocking or wedging forcefully
crimp · slab · mantle · dyno · send · belay · carabiner · chalkbag
Rotating stone for sharpening
- sharpeningMaking more cutting
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- quarryingOpen-pit stone mining
- pavingLaying hard ground cover
masonry · construction · hewn · dressed · tooling · aggregate
sedimentary
Formed from deposited material
strata · outcrop · bedrock · erosion · deposition · cementation · compaction · sediment · conglomerate · mineralogy
coarse
Rough in texture
pitted · abrasive · tactile · hard · rugged · weathered · fissured · crumbly · knobbly · nubbly
crag
Steep rugged outcrop
jamming · crimp · slab · mantle · dyno · send · belay · carabiner · chalkbag · quickdraw
grindstone
Rotating stone for sharpening
- sharpeningMaking more cutting
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- quarryingOpen-pit stone mining
paving · masonry · construction · hewn · dressed · tooling · aggregate