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
  
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
  
History
  
  
Origin
New Zealand
  
North America
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Ferdinand von Richthofen
  
Etymology
From German which means hornstone
  
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular, Platy
  
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
  
Color
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
  
Grey, White, Light Black
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Dull
  
Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
  
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
  
Types
Biotite hornfels
  
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
  
Features
Smooth to touch
  
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
  
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
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Andalusite
  
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
  
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
2-3
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Sub-conchoidal
  
Streak
Unknown
  
Colorless
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Shiny
  
Earthy
  
Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2
  
15
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
Not Yet Found
  
2
  
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
  
2.65-2.67
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
  
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
  
15
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
  
China, India
  
Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
United Kingdom
  
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
Hornfels vs Rhyolite 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 Rhyolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Rhyolite. Learn more about Hornfels vs Rhyolite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rhyolite include Decorative aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Rhyolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Rhyolite include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives.
More about Hornfels and Rhyolite
Here you can know more about Hornfels and Rhyolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Rhyolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite and mineral content of Rhyolite includes Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Rhyolite, 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, Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Rhyolite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Rhyolite. The hardness of Hornfels is 2-3 and that of Rhyolite is 6-7. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels whereas types of Rhyolite are Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornfels is unknown while that of Rhyolite is colorless. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Rhyolite is Not Available. 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 Rhyolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.