Chert

Diorite

Chert and Diorite

Chert

Diorite

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Definition

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

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Rough

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

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

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Features

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

Typically speckled black and white.

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

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.

Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.

Composition

Mineral Content

Quartz, Silicon

Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5-76-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Bluish Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

450.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.8-3

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.8-3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Egypt

Europe

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

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Chert and Diorite Properties

Know all about Chert and Diorite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chert belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Diorite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Chert is Banded, Rough whereas that of Diorite is Phaneritic. Chert appears Glassy or Pearly and Diorite appears Shiny. The luster of Chert is waxy and dull while that of Diorite is shiny. Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white 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 Diorite are creating artwork, curling.