Flint

Variolite

Flint and Variolite

Flint

Variolite

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Definition

Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance

History

Origin

France

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck

From Latin varius, speckled, variegated

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Rough

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

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

Chert and Jasper

Metamorphic rock

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.

Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.

Composition

Mineral Content

Silicon

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

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Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

White to Grey

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

450.00 N/mm²37.50 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.8-3

0 8.4

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Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7-2.71 g/cm³2.9-3.1 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Azerbaijan, China, Russia

India, Russia

Africa

South Africa

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, South Australia

All about Flint and Variolite Properties

Know all about Flint and Variolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Flint belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Variolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Flint is Banded, Rough whereas that of Variolite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Flint appears Glassy or Pearly and Variolite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Flint is vitreous while that of Variolite is . Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey 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 Variolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.