Definition
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
Origin
Unknown
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Newton Horace Winchell
Etymology
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Rough
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Red, Reddish Brown
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, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Is one of the oldest 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.
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.
Mineral Content
Silicon
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Imperfect
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
5-5.3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Not Yet Found
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Flint vs Taconite 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 Taconite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Flint and Properties of Taconite. Learn more about Flint vs Taconite in the next section. The interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Flint and Taconite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Flint in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Taconite include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills..
More about Flint and Taconite
Here you can know more about Flint and Taconite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Flint and Taconite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Flint includes Silicon and mineral content of Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Flint vs Taconite, 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, Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Flint is Glassy or Pearly and that of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Flint vs Taconite. The hardness of Flint is 7 and that of Taconite is 5.5-6. The types of Flint are Not Available whereas types of Taconite 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 Taconite is white. The specific heat capacity of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Taconite is 3.20 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 Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.