Definition
Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture
Blue Granite is an igneous rock and a variety of Larvikite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized blue crystals of feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use
From the color of rock, Blue
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Blue Granite is an igneous rock which is a variety of Larvikite and is known mainly for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar.
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
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Not Yet Found
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Not Yet Found
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Chert vs Blue Granite 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. Chert vs Blue Granite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Chert and Properties of Blue Granite. Learn more about Chert vs Blue Granite in the next section. The interior uses of Chert include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Blue Granite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Chert and Blue Granite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Chert in construction industry include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Blue Granite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Chert and Blue Granite
Here you can know more about Chert and Blue Granite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Chert and Blue Granite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Chert includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Blue Granite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Chert vs Blue Granite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Blue Granite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Chert is Glassy or Pearly and that of Blue Granite is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Chert vs Blue Granite. The hardness of Chert is 6.5-7 and that of Blue Granite is 6-7. The types of Chert are Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter whereas types of Blue Granite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Chert and Blue Granite is white. The specific heat capacity of Chert is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Blue Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Chert is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Blue Granite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.