Definition
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Sovite is a coarse-grained variety of carbonatite which belongs to intrusive igneous rock
Origin
Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
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Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous 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
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
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Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
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As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
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Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
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Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Carbonatite
Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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.
Sovites are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Namibia, 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, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand
Anthracite vs Sovite 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 Sovite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anthracite and Properties of Sovite. Learn more about Anthracite vs Sovite in the next section. The interior uses of Anthracite include whereas the interior uses of Sovite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Anthracite and Sovite, 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 Sovite include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Anthracite and Sovite
Here you can know more about Anthracite and Sovite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anthracite and Sovite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals and mineral content of Sovite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Anthracite vs Sovite, 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, Sovite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Sovite is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anthracite vs Sovite. The hardness of Anthracite is 1-1.5 and that of Sovite is 3. The types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite whereas types of Sovite are Carbonatite. 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 Sovite is white. The specific heat capacity of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Sovite is 0.84 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 Sovite is heat resistant, pressure resistant.