Definition
Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically-sorted fragments of the shells of molluscs, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
Origin
European Foreland Basins
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Concha (Latin)+ Coquina(Spanish) +conch(English)= Couquina (mid 19th century)
From quartz + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Foliated, Granular
Color
Beige, Buff, Orange
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Durability
Non-Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Lustrous
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
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
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
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
Sedimentary rock
Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Coquina is a sedimentary rock which is formed when billions of small clam-like seashell, called Coquina, or cockleshell are die and hence are deposited, buried and turns into a rock when pressure is applied.
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Clay Minerals, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Micas, Muscovite or Illite
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
1.10-2.24
2.6-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
-
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Europe
United Kingdom
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Bahamas, Canada, USA
South America
-
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Coquina vs Quartzite 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. Coquina vs Quartzite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Coquina and Properties of Quartzite. Learn more about Coquina vs Quartzite in the next section. The interior uses of Coquina include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Quartzite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Coquina and Quartzite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Coquina in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate and that of Quartzite include 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.
More about Coquina and Quartzite
Here you can know more about Coquina and Quartzite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Coquina and Quartzite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Coquina includes Apatite, Augite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Clay Minerals, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Micas, Muscovite or Illite and mineral content of Quartzite includes Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Coquina vs Quartzite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Coquina is available in beige, buff, orange colors whereas, Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Coquina is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Quartzite is Lustrous. Properties of rock is another aspect for Coquina vs Quartzite. The hardness of Coquina is 1-2 and that of Quartzite is 6-7. The types of Coquina are Sedimentary rock whereas types of Quartzite are Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Coquina and Quartzite is white. The specific heat capacity of Coquina is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Quartzite is 0.75 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Coquina is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Quartzite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.