Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Discoverer
Unknown
William Smith
Etymology
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Rounded and Rough
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
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
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
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Chert and Jasper
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Pearly to Shiny
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
-9999
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
-
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Flint vs Oolite 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 Oolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Oolite. Learn more about Flint vs Oolite in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Oolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Oolite include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping.
More about Flint and Oolite
Here you can know more about Flint and Oolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Oolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon and mineral content of Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Oolite, 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, Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Oolite is Rounded and Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Oolite. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Oolite is 3-4. The types of Flint are Chert and Jasper whereas types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Flint and Oolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Oolite is 0.65 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 Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.