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
It is a metamorphic magnesium rich rock because it is composed of the mineral talc
Origin
European Foreland Basins
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Concha (Latin)+ Coquina(Spanish) +conch(English)= Couquina (mid 19th century)
From 17th century, because of its greasy feel and use like a soap
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Beige, Buff, Orange
Black, Black to Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Non-Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Production of Lime, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Sedimentary rock
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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.
Soapstone is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock and it is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich inmagnesium.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Augite, Bronzite, Calcite, Chert, Chlorite, Clay Minerals, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Micas, Muscovite or Illite
Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO
CaO, Mg, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Greasy
Specific Gravity
1.10-2.24
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand
Africa
-
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Austria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Coquina vs Soapstone 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 Soapstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Coquina and Properties of Soapstone. Learn more about Coquina vs Soapstone in the next section. The interior uses of Coquina include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Soapstone include Bathrooms, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Coquina and Soapstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Coquina in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate and that of Soapstone include Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Coquina and Soapstone
Here you can know more about Coquina and Soapstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Coquina and Soapstone 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 Soapstone includes Albite, Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Carbonate, Clay Minerals, Hornblende, Ilmenite, Micas, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Coquina vs Soapstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Coquina is available in beige, buff, orange colors whereas, Soapstone is available in black, black to grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Coquina is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Soapstone is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Coquina vs Soapstone. The hardness of Coquina is 1-2 and that of Soapstone is 1. The types of Coquina are Sedimentary rock whereas types of Soapstone are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Coquina is white while that of Soapstone is black. The specific heat capacity of Coquina is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Soapstone is 0.88 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 Soapstone is heat resistant, pressure resistant.