Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
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
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 English feldspar and -ite
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Surgery
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
Mirror, Jewelry
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, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
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.
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.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Feldspar, Iron Oxides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
Kenya
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
New Zealand
Flint vs Felsite 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. Flint vs Felsite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Felsite. Learn more about Flint vs Felsite in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Felsite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Felsite include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Flint and Felsite
Here you can know more about Flint and Felsite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Felsite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon and mineral content of Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Felsite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Felsite. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Felsite is 5-5.5. The types of Flint are Not Available whereas types of Felsite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Flint and Felsite is white. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Felsite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Flint is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant.