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Amphibolite and Phyllite


Phyllite and Amphibolite


Definition

Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase   
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks   

History
  
  

Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite   
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Banded, Foliated, Massive   
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty   

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey   
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Foliated   
Crinkled or Wavy   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates   

Types

Types
Hornblendite   
Not Available   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny   
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.   
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite   
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
1-2   

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White to Grey   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Vitreous to Dull   
Phyllitic   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Crenulation and Pervasive   

Toughness
2.3   
1.2   

Specific Gravity
2.5   
2.72-2.73   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3   
2.18-3.3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Russia, Turkey   
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   

Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland   
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
South Australia, Western Australia   
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Phyllite Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Phyllite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite and Phyllite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Phyllite is phyllitic. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates.

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