Definition
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
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
-
Swiss Alps, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Michael Tellinger
Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek
From the Italian word cataclasi
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
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, Chlorite, Quartz
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
2.1
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
0-300 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Western Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Argentina, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia