Definition
Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From English feldspar and -ite
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Crinkled or Wavy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Surgery
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Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Mirror, Jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
Types
Igneous rock
Phyllite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Felsite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
Mineral Content
Feldspar, Iron Oxides
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Phyllitic
Cleavage
-
Crenulation and Pervasive
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.72-2.73
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Kenya
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
Felsite vs Phyllite 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. Felsite vs Phyllite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Felsite and Properties of Phyllite. Learn more about Felsite vs Phyllite in the next section. The interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Felsite and Phyllite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Felsite in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points and that of Phyllite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone.
More about Felsite and Phyllite
Here you can know more about Felsite and Phyllite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Felsite and Phyllite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides and mineral content of Phyllite includes Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Felsite vs Phyllite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas, Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Felsite vs Phyllite. The hardness of Felsite is 5-5.5 and that of Phyllite is 1-2. The types of Felsite are Igneous rock whereas types of Phyllite are Phyllite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Felsite and Phyllite is white. The specific heat capacity of Felsite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Phyllite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Phyllite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.