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
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Origin
New Zealand
Unknown
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German which means hornstone
From Pelos or clay in Greek
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Platy
Foliated
Color
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Biotite hornfels
Not Available
Features
Smooth to touch
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Andalusite
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Fibrous
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Not Available
Toughness
Not Yet Found
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
3.4-3.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
0-300 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Not Yet Found
Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Western Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Available
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Hornfels vs Metapelite 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. Hornfels vs Metapelite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Metapelite. Learn more about Hornfels vs Metapelite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Metapelite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Metapelite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Hornfels and Metapelite
Here you can know more about Hornfels and Metapelite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Metapelite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite and mineral content of Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Metapelite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors whereas, Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Metapelite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Metapelite. The hardness of Hornfels is 2-3 and that of Metapelite is 5-6. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels whereas types of Metapelite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornfels and Metapelite is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Metapelite is 0.72 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.