Chert

Claystone

Chert and Claystone

Chert

Claystone

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Definition

Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture

Claystone is a fine-grained, dark gray to pink sedimentary rock which mainly consists of compacted and hardened clay

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use

From English clay and stone as the rock contains more amount of clay

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Rough

Clastic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Facing Stone, Roof Tiles

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Pottery

Types

Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter

Claystone

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Formation

Chert forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The chert formation can be either of chemical or biological origin.

Claystone is generally quite soft, but can be hard and brittle. It forms due to weathering of mudstone.

Composition

Mineral Content

Quartz, Silicon

Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5-73.5-4

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Dull

Compressive Strength

450.00 N/mm²40.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.5

2.6

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.80

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2-2.9 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

Bangladesh, China, India, Russia

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, Panama, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia

All about Chert and Claystone Properties

Know all about Chert and Claystone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chert and Claystone belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Chert is Banded, Rough whereas that of Claystone is Clastic. Chert appears Glassy or Pearly and Claystone appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Chert is waxy and dull while that of Claystone is dull. Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Claystone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Chert are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms and that of Claystone are pottery.