Chert

Phyllite

Chert and Phyllite

Chert

Phyllite

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Definition

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

Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Rough

Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Crinkled or Wavy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, 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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates

Types

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

Phyllite

Features

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

Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

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.

Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.

Composition

Mineral Content

Quartz, Silicon

Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5-71-2

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Phyllitic

Compressive Strength

450.00 N/mm²50.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Crenulation and Pervasive

Toughness

1.5

1.2

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.72-2.73

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.18-3.3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

All about Chert and Phyllite Properties

Know all about Chert and Phyllite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chert belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Phyllite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Chert is Banded, Rough whereas that of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty. Chert appears Glassy or Pearly and Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy. The luster of Chert is waxy and dull while that of Phyllite is phyllitic. Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey 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 Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates.