Definition
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
Origin
France
Swiss Alps, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Michael Tellinger
Etymology
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
From the Italian word cataclasi
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
-
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
-
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
-
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Electricity Generation
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
-
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.1
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
800-801 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Central Australia, Western Australia
Lignite vs Cataclasite 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. Lignite vs Cataclasite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lignite and Properties of Cataclasite. Learn more about Lignite vs Cataclasite in the next section. The interior uses of Lignite include whereas the interior uses of Cataclasite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Lignite and Cataclasite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lignite in construction industry include For road aggregate, Steel production and that of Cataclasite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Lignite and Cataclasite
Here you can know more about Lignite and Cataclasite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lignite and Cataclasite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lignite includes and mineral content of Cataclasite includes Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Lignite vs Cataclasite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Cataclasite is available in brown, green, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Cataclasite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lignite vs Cataclasite. The hardness of Lignite is 1 and that of Cataclasite is 3-4. The types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite whereas types of Cataclasite are Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lignite and Cataclasite is black. The specific heat capacity of Lignite is 1.26 kJ/Kg K and that of Cataclasite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Lignite is heat resistant whereas Cataclasite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.