Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
History
Origin
Italy
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
From quartz + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Foliated, Granular
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Lustrous
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Types
Orthoconglomerate and Paraconglomerate
Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
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
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Composition
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
2-36-7
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2115.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Indiscernible
Toughness
-
1.9
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.882.6-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm32.32-2.42 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.75 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Bahamas, Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia