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
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
History
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
USA
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
Unknown
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Quench
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull and Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Cataclastic rock
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Absent
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. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
-
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Physical Properties
Hardness
3-47
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
-
Uneven
Streak
Black
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
50.00 N/mm260.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.12.46-2.86
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm32.7-2.9 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
South America
Argentina, Colombia
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia