Definition
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
Germany
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Phaneritic
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Anorthosite Gabbro and Norite Gabbro
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.1
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
India, Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland