Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.
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 gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Clastic, Granular, Rough
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Rough
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
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, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse or Fine
Fracture
Conchoidal
Splintery
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Perfect
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Not Yet Found
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Flint vs Ganister 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 Ganister characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Ganister. Learn more about Flint vs Ganister in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Ganister include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Ganister, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Ganister include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Flint and Ganister
Here you can know more about Flint and Ganister. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Ganister consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon and mineral content of Ganister includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Ganister, 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, Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Ganister is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Ganister. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Ganister is 6-7. The types of Flint are Not Available whereas types of Ganister 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 Ganister is white. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Ganister 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 Ganister is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.