Definition
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
Origin
Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Crinkled or Wavy
Interior Uses
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Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
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As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
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Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
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Antiquity Uses
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Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
Types
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Phyllite
Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
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Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
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Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
-
Crenulation and Pervasive
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.72-2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
Anthracite 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. Anthracite vs Phyllite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anthracite and Properties of Phyllite. Learn more about Anthracite vs Phyllite in the next section. The interior uses of Anthracite include whereas the interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Anthracite and Phyllite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Anthracite in construction industry include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production 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 Anthracite and Phyllite
Here you can know more about Anthracite and Phyllite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anthracite and Phyllite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals 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 Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Anthracite vs Phyllite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anthracite vs Phyllite. The hardness of Anthracite is 1-1.5 and that of Phyllite is 1-2. The types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite whereas types of Phyllite are Phyllite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Anthracite is black while that of Phyllite is white. The specific heat capacity of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Phyllite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant whereas Phyllite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.