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
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Bayley
Unknown
Etymology
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Cataclastic rock
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
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Great Britain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, Western Australia
Litchfieldite vs Pseudotachylite 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. Litchfieldite vs Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Litchfieldite and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Litchfieldite vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Litchfieldite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Litchfieldite and Pseudotachylite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Litchfieldite in construction industry include 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 and that of Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Litchfieldite and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Litchfieldite and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Litchfieldite and Pseudotachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Litchfieldite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite and mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Litchfieldite vs Pseudotachylite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Litchfieldite is Banded and Foilated and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Litchfieldite vs Pseudotachylite. The hardness of Litchfieldite is 5.5-6 and that of Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Litchfieldite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Cataclastic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Litchfieldite is white while that of Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Litchfieldite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Litchfieldite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.