Definition
Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture
  
Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
USA
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Bayley
  
Etymology
From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use
  
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Rough
  
Granular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, 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
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
  
Creating Artwork
  
Types
Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter
  
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
  
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
  
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
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.
  
Litchfieldite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
  
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
  
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6.5-7
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Waxy and Dull
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
450.00 N/mm2
  
1
150.00 N/mm2
  
14
Cleavage
Non-Existent
  
Poor
  
Toughness
1.5
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
  
2.6
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.7 g/cm3
  
2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.74 kJ/Kg K
  
19
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear 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
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  
Finland, Norway, Portugal
  
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
Canada
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Chert vs Litchfieldite 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 Litchfieldite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Chert and Properties of Litchfieldite. Learn more about Chert vs Litchfieldite in the next section. The interior uses of Chert include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Litchfieldite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Chert and Litchfieldite, 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 Litchfieldite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Chert and Litchfieldite
Here you can know more about Chert and Litchfieldite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Chert and Litchfieldite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Chert includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Litchfieldite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Chert vs Litchfieldite, 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, Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Chert is Glassy or Pearly and that of Litchfieldite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Chert vs Litchfieldite. The hardness of Chert is 6.5-7 and that of Litchfieldite is 5.5-6. The types of Chert are Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter whereas types of Litchfieldite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Chert and Litchfieldite is white. The specific heat capacity of Chert is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Litchfieldite is Not Available. 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 Litchfieldite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.