Definition
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Origin
Pennsylvania, U.S.
Iceland
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness 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
Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Glassy
Interior Uses
-
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
-
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Medical Industry
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
-
Antiquity Uses
-
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Volcanic glass
Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
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.
Tachylite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Feldspar, Olivine
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical 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
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
3.058 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
East Africa
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Victoria
Anthracite vs Tachylite 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 Tachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Anthracite and Properties of Tachylite. Learn more about Anthracite vs Tachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Anthracite include whereas the interior uses of Tachylite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Anthracite and Tachylite, 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 Tachylite include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers.
More about Anthracite and Tachylite
Here you can know more about Anthracite and Tachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Anthracite and Tachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals and mineral content of Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Anthracite vs Tachylite, 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, Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Tachylite is Glassy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Anthracite vs Tachylite. The hardness of Anthracite is 1-1.5 and that of Tachylite is 5.5. The types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite whereas types of Tachylite are Volcanic glass. 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 Tachylite is vermilion. The specific heat capacity of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Tachylite is 0.56 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 Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.