Definition
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1
From diatom + -ite1
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Amorphous, Glassy
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Grey, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Non-Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Soft
Interior Uses
-
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
-
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Steel Production
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium
Antiquity Uses
-
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Electricity Generation
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite
Diatomite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained 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.
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.
Mineral Content
-
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Dull
Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4
2.3-2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
800-801 g/cm3
2.49-2.51 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Lignite vs Diatomite 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 Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Lignite and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Lignite vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Lignite include whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Lignite and Diatomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Lignite in construction industry include For road aggregate, Steel production and that of Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.
More about Lignite and Diatomite
Here you can know more about Lignite and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Lignite and Diatomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Lignite includes and mineral content of Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Lignite vs Diatomite, 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, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Lignite vs Diatomite. Hardness of Lignite and Diatomite is 1. The types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite whereas types of Diatomite are Diatomite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Lignite is black while that of Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Lignite is 1.26 kJ/Kg K and that of Diatomite is 0.90 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 Diatomite is heat resistant.