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Sandstone is a sedimentary rock group which is mostly made up of tiny grains of quartz. Most sandstone is formed in oceans, lakes and rivers where tiny bits of rock and dirt settle to the bottom. Year after year, these layers of sand get buried under tons of more sand and dirt until it is turned into solid rock. Sandstone can be found in many colors.
Physical Properties of SandstonePhysically, they are very Hard, Compact, Fine grained, equi-granular homogeneous rocks of sedimentary nature (Sandstone)

Slates are dense and fine grained rock. The colour of slates are generally gray, red, brown and green ranging from dark to light. It is produced by the compression of clays, shale, and various other rocks developing a characteristic cleavage consisting sericite and quartz with biotite, chlorite, and hematite as principal accessories.
In other words slates are generally formed by low-grade regional .1metamorphism of pelithic sediments or fine-grained tuffs. It can be associated with other metamorphic sedimentary or volcanic rocks.
Slates are or argillaceous origin of metamorphic rocks and can also be defined as a layered stone. Fossils may be sometimes preserved in slate but are invariably distorted. Folds are often apparent in the field. Too fine-grained are tough to distinguished with the naked eye.
Physical Properties of Slate
Physically these are Metamorphic-Argillaceous rocks, which has developed a well-marked splittable cleavages with or without developed recrystallization & spots/knots of minerals like garnet, pyrite, andulasite, etc. They are normally fine to medium grained, moderately hard & compact, less homogeneous with varying textures & shades. It has an ability to split into thin layers along the plane of cleavages due to flattened & elongated minerals along the plane of cleavage.

Granite, from igneous rock, is a very hard, crystalline, and primarily composed of feldspar, quartz accompanied by one or more dark minerals. It is visibly homogeneous in texture.The term "Granite" means "grain" in Latin word "Granum" because of its granular nature.Granite is the hardest building stone, and granite slabs and granite tiles occupy a prominent place among dimensional stones. Due to its hardness, resistance to weathering, capability to take mirror polish, fascinating colors and textural patterns, granite slabs and granite tiles are extremely popular.The principal characteristics of granite also include high load bearing capacity, crushing strength, abrasive strength, amenability to cutting and shaping without secondary flaws, ability to yield thin and large slabs and - above all - durability.Due to highly dense grain, it is impervious to stain. Polished granite slabs and granite tiles have achieved a special status as building stones globally. Granite is also used for wall cladding, roofing, flooring, and a variety of other interior and exterior applications.India is one of the largest producers of granites blocks and processed granite slabs and granite tiles. Granites from leading Indian exporters are listed here.

Physical Properties of Granite

Physically, commercial granites are Hard, Compact rocks with fine to coarse grains of metamorphic or igneous origin.

The parent rock for quartzite is quartz-rich sandstone. As sandstone becomes deeply buried, rising temperature will fuse the quartz grains together forming the extremely hard and weather-resistant rock quartzite. Like marble, quartzite comes in many colors, but when pure it is light-colored. Quartzite tends to have a sugary appearance, and when broken the fractures cut through the sand grains, not around them as with a sandstone.

Physical Properties of QuartzitePhysically, they are very Hard, Compact, Fine grained, equi-granular homogeneous rocks of metamorphic nature (Quartzite).

Marble, formed from limestone with heat and pressure over years in the earth's crust. These pressure or forces cause the limestone to change in texture and makeup. The process is called recrystallization. Fossilized materials in the limestone, along with its original carbonate minerals, recrystallize and form large, coarse grains of calcite.

Impurities present in the limestone during the recrystallization period affect the mineral composition of the marble which is formed. At relatively low temperatures, silica impurities in the carbonate minerals form masses of chert or crystals of quartz. At higher temperatures, the silica reacts with the carbonates to produce diopside and forsterite. At a very high temperatures, rarer calcium minerals, such as larnite, monticellite, and rankinite, forms in the marble. If water is present, serpentine, talc, and certain other hydrous minerals may be produced. The presence of iron, alumina, and silica may result in the formation of hematite and magnetite.

The minerals that result from impurities give marble a wide variety of colors. The purest calcite marble is white in colour. Marble containing hematite are reddish in color. Marble that has limonite is yellow, and marble with serpentine is green in colour.

Marble does not split easily into sheets of equal size and must be mined with care. The rock may shatter if explosives are used. Blocks of marble are mined with channeling machines, which cut grooves and holes in the rock. Miners outline a block of marble with rows of grooves and holes. They then drive wedges into the openings and separate the block from the surrounding rock. The blocks are cut with saws to the desired shape and size.

Physical Properties of Marble
Physically, these are recrystallized, Hard, Compact, fine to very fine grained metamorphosed rocks capable of taking shining polish.

Limestone is calcareous sedimentary rocks formed at the bottom of lakes and seas with the accumulation of shells, bones and other calcium rich goods. It is composed of calcite (CaCO3). The organic matter upon which it settles in lakes or seas, are preserved as fossils. Over thousands and millions of years, layer after layer is built up adding weight. The heat and pressure causes chemical reaction at the bottom and the sediments turn into solid stone, the limestone.

The rock which contain more than 95% of calcium carbonate is known as high-calcium limestone. Recrystallised limestone takes good polish and is usually used as decorative and building stone.

A part of calcium molecules if being replaced by magnesium, it is known as magnesium lime stone or dolomite limestone.

Limestone that will take a polish are considered marbles by most people, but technically, if there are still shells visible or the structure is not crystalline, it is still a limestone.

Physical Properties of Limestone
Physically, Limestones are Quite impervious, Hard, Compact, fine to very fine grained calcareous rocks of sedimentary nature.