Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
  
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
  
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
  
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
  
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
  
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Crinkled or Wavy
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
  
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
Creating Artwork, Curling
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
  
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
  
Not Available
  
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
  
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, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
  
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon
  
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
  
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5-6
  
1-2
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Irregular
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
  
Phyllitic
  
Cleavage
Irregular
  
Crenulation and Pervasive
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
1.2
  
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
  
2.72-2.73
  
Transparency
Translucent
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
  
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Yet Found
  
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
Africa
Not Yet Found
  
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
  
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
  
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Colombia
  
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
  
Anorthosite vs Phyllite 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. Anorthosite vs Phyllite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anorthosite and Properties of Phyllite. Learn more about Anorthosite vs Phyllite in the next section. The interior uses of Anorthosite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Anorthosite and Phyllite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Anorthosite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate and that of Phyllite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone.
More about Anorthosite and Phyllite
Here you can know more about Anorthosite and Phyllite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anorthosite and Phyllite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anorthosite includes Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene and mineral content of Phyllite includes Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Anorthosite vs Phyllite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas, Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Anorthosite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anorthosite vs Phyllite. The hardness of Anorthosite is 5-6 and that of Phyllite is 1-2. The types of Anorthosite are Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite whereas types of Phyllite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Anorthosite and Phyllite is white. The specific heat capacity of Anorthosite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Phyllite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Anorthosite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant whereas Phyllite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.