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
Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
Kimberley, South Africa
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
John W. Judd
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From Kimberley + -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.
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, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
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
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
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.
Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.1
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Russia
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia