Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
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 word serpentinization.
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic 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
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Rough and Dull
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, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Chert and Jasper
Jadeitite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.79-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
-
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Flint vs Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Serpentinite. Learn more about Flint vs Serpentinite in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Serpentinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Serpentinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Flint and Serpentinite
Here you can know more about Flint and Serpentinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Serpentinite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon and mineral content of Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Serpentinite, 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, Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Serpentinite. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Serpentinite is 3-5. The types of Flint are Chert and Jasper whereas types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Flint is white while that of Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Serpentinite is 0.95 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 Serpentinite is heat resistant.