Definition
Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite
A carbonate rock which is matrix supported and contains over 10% allochems in a carbonate mud matrix.
Discoverer
Bayley
Unknown
Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Pottery
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Marl, Shale and Argillite
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
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Litchfieldite 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.
Wackestone is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. These particles settle down and are then compacted due to high temperature and pressure hence forming Wackestone.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Dull
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia