Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
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 German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Glassy
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Tachylite 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.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Feldspar, Olivine
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.4
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
3.058 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
Not Yet Found
East Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
Victoria
All about Flint and Tachylite Properties
Know all about Flint and Tachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Flint belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Tachylite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Flint is Banded, Rough whereas that of Tachylite is Vitreous. Flint appears Glassy or Pearly and Tachylite appears Glassy. The luster of Flint is vitreous while that of Tachylite is resinous. Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. The commercial uses of Flint are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms and that of Tachylite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.