Definition
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Grenue
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Color
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
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, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
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
Garnet Lherzolite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Lherzolite 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.
Mineral Content
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Quartz, Silicon
Compound Content
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Perfect
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.86
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, South Korea
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
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
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Lherzolite vs Novaculite 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. Lherzolite vs Novaculite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lherzolite and Properties of Novaculite. Learn more about Lherzolite vs Novaculite in the next section. The interior uses of Lherzolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lherzolite and Novaculite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lherzolite in construction industry include Landscaping, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Novaculite include 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.
More about Lherzolite and Novaculite
Here you can know more about Lherzolite and Novaculite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lherzolite and Novaculite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lherzolite includes Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite and mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Lherzolite vs Novaculite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors whereas, Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Lherzolite is Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lherzolite vs Novaculite. The hardness of Lherzolite is 6.5 and that of Novaculite is 7. The types of Lherzolite are Garnet Lherzolite whereas types of Novaculite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lherzolite is white while that of Novaculite is colorless. The specific heat capacity of Lherzolite is 0.95 kJ/Kg K and that of Novaculite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Lherzolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Novaculite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.