Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Quench
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Irregular
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
South Korea
Africa
Not Yet Found
Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Bolivia
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Flint and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Flint and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Flint belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Flint is Banded, Rough whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Flint appears Glassy or Pearly and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Flint and Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Flint and Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.