Definition
Chalk is a soft, white, powdery limestone consisting mainly of fossil shells of foraminifers
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From old English cealc chalk, lime, plaster; pebble, from Greek khalix small pebble, in English transferred to the opaque, white, soft limestone
From Pelos or clay in Greek
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Foliated
Color
Grey, White, Yellow
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Powder
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Paper Industry, Production of Lime, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime, slaked lime, Soil Conditioner, Whiting, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Chalk is formed from lime mud, which accumulates on the sea floor which is then transformed into rock by geological processes.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Fibrous
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.3-2.4
3.4-3.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.49-2.50 g/cm3
0-300 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Not Yet Found
Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Western Africa
Europe
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Available
South America
Colombia
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Central Australia, Western Australia
Chalk vs Metapelite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Chalk vs Metapelite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Chalk and Properties of Metapelite. Learn more about Chalk vs Metapelite in the next section. The interior uses of Chalk include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Chalk and Metapelite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Chalk in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for manufacture of quicklime and slaked lime, Source of calcium and that of Metapelite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Chalk and Metapelite
Here you can know more about Chalk and Metapelite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Chalk and Metapelite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Chalk includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand and mineral content of Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Chalk vs Metapelite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Chalk is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas, Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Chalk is Soft and that of Metapelite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Chalk vs Metapelite. The hardness of Chalk is 1 and that of Metapelite is 5-6. The types of Chalk are Not Available whereas types of Metapelite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Chalk is white while that of Metapelite is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Chalk is 0.90 kJ/Kg K and that of Metapelite is 0.72 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Chalk is heat resistant whereas Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.