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
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
History
Origin
Swiss Alps, Europe
Egypt
Discoverer
Michael Tellinger
Unknown
Etymology
From the Italian word cataclasi
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Porphyritic
Color
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Banded
Dull
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Construction Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Rhomb Porphyry
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
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.
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
3-46-7
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
-
Irregular
Streak
Black
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Dull
Compressive Strength
50.00 N/mm2150.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
1.7
Specific Gravity
2.12.5-4
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm32.5-2.52 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.71 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa
Europe
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
Others
-
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
South America
Argentina, Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia