Definition
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
  
Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture
  
History
  
  
Origin
New Zealand
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From German which means hornstone
  
From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular, Platy
  
Banded, Rough
  
Color
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
  
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Dull
  
Glassy or Pearly
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
  
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
  
Types
Biotite hornfels
  
Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter
  
Features
Smooth to touch
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
  
Chert forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The chert formation can be either of chemical or biological origin.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Andalusite
  
Quartz, Silicon
  
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
  
Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
6.5-7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Streak
Unknown
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Shiny
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Compressive Strength
450.00 N/mm
2
  
1
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
Not Yet Found
  
1.5
  
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
  
2.5-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
  
2.7 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
0.74 kJ/Kg K
  
19
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
  
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
  
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
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
Canada, USA
  
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia