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
Theralite is a plutonic hylocrystalline igneous rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase and nepheline
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Pelos or clay in Greek
From Greek to pursue
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated
Phaneritic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Teschenite and Essexite
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Smooth to touch
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
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Theralite 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.
Mineral Content
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Fibrous
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Earthy
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.7
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
0-300 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
India, Russia
Africa
Western Africa
South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Available
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
All about Metapelite and Theralite Properties
Know all about Metapelite and Theralite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Metapelite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Theralite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Metapelite is Foliated whereas that of Theralite is Phaneritic. Metapelite appears Banded and Theralite appears Veined and Shiny. The luster of Metapelite is earthy while that of Theralite is waxy and dull. Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors whereas Theralite is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Theralite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.