Definition
Adakite is an intermediate to felsic volcanic rock that has geochemical characteristics of magma which is said to be formed by partial melting of altered basalt that is subducted below volcanic arcs
Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture
Origin
Adak, Aleutian Islands
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Discoverer
Defant and Drummond
Unknown
Etymology
From Adak, Aleutian Islands
From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Banded, Rough
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Pottery, Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Types
Intermediate volcanic rock
Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Host rock for Diamond, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Adakite rocks are formed when the hydrous fluids are released from minerals that break down in metamorphosed basalt, and rise into the mantle they initiate partial melting.
Chert forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The chert formation can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Quartz, Silicon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
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Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
-9999
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Iceland
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
-
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Adakite vs Chert Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Adakite vs Chert characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Adakite and Properties of Chert. Learn more about Adakite vs Chert in the next section. The interior uses of Adakite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Chert include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Adakite and Chert, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Adakite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Chert include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points.
More about Adakite and Chert
Here you can know more about Adakite and Chert. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Adakite and Chert consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Adakite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Chert includes Quartz, Silicon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Adakite vs Chert, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Adakite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Adakite is Dull and Soft and that of Chert is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Adakite vs Chert. The hardness of Adakite is 3-4 and that of Chert is 6.5-7. The types of Adakite are Intermediate volcanic rock whereas types of Chert are Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Adakite is bluish black while that of Chert is white. The specific heat capacity of Adakite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Chert is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Adakite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Chert is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.