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
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
New Zealand
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
Unknown
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From German which means hornstone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Granular, Platy
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, 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
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Biotite hornfels
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Andalusite
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.1
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia