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Kenyte and Novaculite


Novaculite and Kenyte


Definition

Definition
Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix   
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture   

History
  
  

Origin
Mount Kenya   
Unknown   

Discoverer
J. W. Gregory   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900   
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Glassy, Granular   
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous   

Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Banded and Foilated   
Glassy or Pearly   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics   
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   
Artifacts, Monuments   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock   
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
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Kenyte is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   
Quartz, Silicon   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Ca, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5.5-6   
7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey   
Colorless   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Greasy to Dull   
Waxy and Dull   

Compressive Strength
150.00 N/mm2   
14
450.00 N/mm2   
1

Cleavage
Poor   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.5   

Specific Gravity
2.6   
2.5-2.7   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.6 g/cm3   
2.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.74 kJ/Kg K   
19

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam   
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   

Others
Greenland   
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela   
Bolivia, Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia   
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Kenyte and Novaculite Properties

Know all about Kenyte and Novaculite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Kenyte belongs to Igneous Rocks while Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Kenyte is Glassy, Granular whereas that of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous. Kenyte appears Banded and Foilated and Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Kenyte is greasy to dull while that of Novaculite is waxy and dull. Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Kenyte are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry.

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