When the sandstone is transformed into quartzite, the quartz grains that were already there are crystallized again along with the cementitious material that was previously present in the sandstone, and the new quartz crystals are fused together. Most or all of the old sandstone texture and sedimentary structure will be completely removed by metamorphism and replaced by a new structure.

Syria's highest point is Mount Jabal al-Sheikh, 2,814 meters (9,232 feet) on the Lebanese border. Semi-arid steppe zones, nestled between the wet shores of the Mediterranean on one side and the desert on the other, cover about three-quarters of the country. These steppe zones host hot, dry winds blowing through the desert.