Thanks! Babs, it definitely will NOT be the backsplash that is shown in the picture! We are building our home and we won't be moving until May. We want to see the kitchen put together before finalizing a backsplash so it probably won't be until summer. We are leaning towards ceramic tiles like the one in the photo but in white with stainless steel accent tiles. Our cabinets are cherry and our appliances are stainless.

Over the month I was checking out 4-5 stores, I saw Macabus with horizontal lines, then cross-cut, then yellow, and blue. In hindsight, I should have had one good contact person at each store, and called them weekly to see what came in. Taj Mahal was another name given to many quartzites that varied in color and quality.

We remodeled our kitchen about 4 years ago. It was very helpful to read all of Karen_MT's threads about stone choices for kitchens. I think there are several threads now. She explains how to do the test to see if you have a quartzite or marble sample. I think you should be able to search for it by tying in "countertop geology." We have white macaubus quartzite on our island and it has held up very well. It took a long time to find a slab with a subtle pattern with light lines rather than the dark grey or black lines. Carefully examine the slab for areas that might have been repaired and for any cracks that you can get your fingernail into. I passed on those and waiting to find one I was happy with. Some have reported oil, or water-type staining on the cut edges by the stove or sink. Not sure why that was, but ours is just the island, so we have had no issues. It does not stain or etch. We do have marble in our master bath and we are happy with it. It will etch and stain, so I would not be happy with it in a kitchen. I would be especially unhappy if I thought I was buying an expensive quartzite, but was sold marble instead, such as Super White quartzite which is actually marble. By the way, there is another name for white macaubus quartzite when it is cut the other way (meaning the other way as far as the orientation to the mountain goes). Instead of long lines, it is more swirly, but with the same general coloration. I think it might be called calacatta quartzite or something like that, but it's the same rock.

Karen, what are the black specks? I think this is an Intermediate quartzite, but it does have some crystals. It also absorbs up to the waterline, but dries out quickly. I used different edges of the stone to scratch glass, and it passed every time. No etching from lemon juice or vinegar. Bathroom stain test. Left to dry overnight. Clockwise starting with black spot: Mascara, liquid makeup, tinted moisturizer, water (below black), red wine vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice (top right). I left the puddles on pretty thick. I will never have mustard, etc in the bathroom, but I tested them just for giggles. The red wine stain is on the far left and barely visible. The mascara and makeup stains are probably because of the oils. After washed with Dawn. Water absorption test after 15 minutes. The watermark only goes up to the water level. It dried after 15 minutes. I circled tiny black specks that look the same as the veins.