Chert

Sovite

Chert and Sovite

Chert

Sovite

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Definition

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

Sovite is a coarse-grained variety of carbonatite which belongs to intrusive igneous rock

History

Origin

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

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

Texture

Banded, Rough

Granular, Poikiloblastic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

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

Carbonatite

Features

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

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

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.

Sovites are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

Quartz, Silicon

Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6.5-73

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

450.00 N/mm²195.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.86-2.87

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.84-2.86 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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan

Africa

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand

All about Chert and Sovite Properties

Know all about Chert and Sovite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Chert belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Sovite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Chert is Banded, Rough whereas that of Sovite is Granular, Poikiloblastic. Chert appears Glassy or Pearly and Sovite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Chert is waxy and dull while that of Sovite is subvitreous to dull. Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Sovite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, 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 Sovite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, creating artwork, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).