Definition
Diamictite is a sedimentary rock that consists of non-sorted to poorly sorted terrigenous sediment containing particles that range in size from clay to boulders, suspended in a matrix of mudstone or sandstone
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
Origin
Southern Mongolia
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek dia through and meiktós or mixed
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Buff
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Production of Lime
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite
Jadeitite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Diamictite is unevenly sorted terrigenous, non-calcareous sedimentary rock which forms due to weathering of mudstone and sandstone.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
-
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Uneven
Streak
Light to dark brown
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
4.3-5.0
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.2-2.35 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Brazil, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia