I would ask for a sample and test it at home more thoroughly. You might get lucky, but I also ADORED a very similar quartzite and both the seller and people on the stone forum warned me it was a cross between a marble and a granite or a stone with properties of both a marble and granite or something like that, and would need to be treated like a marble, with similar expectations. I hope you got lucky and found one that is pretty bullet proof and it is not the same one I loved, but test well first. Try oil on it. Like vegetable or olive oil. The lemons and tomatoes are are likely to etch rather than stain (at least the lemon, anyway), and you might notice the roughened feel rather than a stain. I would really recommend an overnight test, also. I left stuff on until it dried on the stone I was really going to buy (didn't end up buying it, though, long story). Anyway, at least one stone that seemed good turned into a sponge with anything oil based. I could see that it almost immediately soaked into the stone at least 1/4" deep when I looked at it from the side. Good luck. Its beautiful, I hope it works for you.

Sue

Sue, thanks for the advice. Could you post the link for the stone forum you mention? Also, I have a sample, the one I did the ketchup, lemon juice, etc. on. It clearly did not etch. Should I seal it before further testing? The granite yard person assures me this is stronger than granite, won't etch, etc. I believe nothing until proven, having been on this forum for months.

What did you end up with for your countertops?

I think a poster alku has a white quartzite called Andromeda White. She has mentioned that it is a quartzite and is bullet proof. She has posted numerous pics of her gorgeous stone.

Remodelfla, I love alku's Andromeda, but I believe it is a granite, not a quartzite. I have looked for it for months in my area, but no luck. And I know alku's stone is resined, and this quartzite is not.

The quartzite bianca just showed up here recently, and probably won't last long, since whites are scarce. It is also called White Moon and Luce di Luna in other areas.

bump. still hoping for some help here....

Petlady, you're right about my counters.

Do you have a sample of the bianca? You'll want your own sample because you'll want to put the lemon, ketchup, red wine, soy sauce etc on one half of it and let it set overnight. Why overnight? Because someday someone will leave something there and it will be overlooked overnight. The next day, rinse it off and take a look at it in direct light and check to see if there's any change in the stone's sheen that would indicate etching. Also, buy a good sealer like Miracle 511 Impregnator and seal the other half of the stone. Let the sealer cure as directed, then repeat the tests on the sealed stone.

You want to do extensive tests so that you can know what to expect under worse-case scenarios.

I'll tell you right now, the food acids will etch it, and sealer won't help. As I told petlady in an email, so long as she's not expecting the stone to stay pristine, that stone can make for a beautiful countertop. But expect it to develop a "personality". :-)

Bill was right. Flunked the stain test. The sealed side was somewhat better, but the lemon juice left a very noticeable dark spot. It would bother me on a countertop. Too bad...

The one I looked at was called Mont Blanc, and I correct myself, it was said to be a cross between a marble and a quartz. I thought it was findstone that I got the info from but I can't find it now. I also received info on it here from vrjames. Sorry your did not work out. I do think it is very nice.

Sue