Metapelite and Ignimbrite

Metapelite

Ignimbrite

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

Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows

History

Origin

Unknown

New Zealand

Discoverer

Unknown

Patrick Marshall

Etymology

From Pelos or clay in Greek

From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated

Aphanitic

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey

Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Banded

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Not Yet Used

Used

Fossils

Absent

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.

Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Chlorite, Quartz

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO

Ca, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-6

4-6

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Fibrous

Uneven

Streak

Unknown

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Earthy

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

3.4-3.7

2.73

Transparency

Opaque

Density

0-300 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.72 kJ/Kg K

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Not Yet Found

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Western Africa

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

United Kingdom

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Not Available

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Metapelite and Ignimbrite Properties

Know all about Metapelite and Ignimbrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Metapelite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Ignimbrite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Metapelite is Foliated whereas that of Ignimbrite is Aphanitic. Metapelite appears Banded and Ignimbrite appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Metapelite is earthy while that of Ignimbrite is vitreous to dull. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Ignimbrite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.