Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Discoverer
Unknown
Alexandre Brongniart
Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
From Amphibole + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Foliated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Hornblendite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
Colorless
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Irregular
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
2.5
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Russia, Turkey
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
All about Novaculite and Amphibolite Properties
Know all about Novaculite and Amphibolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous whereas that of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly and Amphibolite appears Foliated. The luster of Novaculite is waxy and dull while that of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull. Novaculite and Amphibolite are available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry and that of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.