Definition
Comendite is a hard, peralkaline igneous rock, a type of light blue grey rhyolite
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
Comendite derives its name from the area of Le Commende on San Pietro Island in Italy
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers
Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry
Types
Rhyolite
Not Available
Features
Very fine grained rock, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Comendite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed due to cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Quartz
Quartz, Silicon
Compound Content
Al, Fe, Potassium Oxide
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Pervasive
Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
Colorless
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.38
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.7 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
East Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Italy
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Queensland
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Comendite and Novaculite Properties
Know all about Comendite and Novaculite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Comendite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Comendite is Porphyritic whereas that of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous. Comendite appears Foliated and Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Comendite is dull while that of Novaculite is waxy and dull. Comendite is available in blue, bluish - grey colors whereas Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Comendite are cemetery markers and that of Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry.