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Novaculite and Ganister


Ganister and Novaculite


Definition

Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture   
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
England   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone   
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous   
Clastic, Granular, Rough   

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White   
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Glassy or Pearly   
Rough   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

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   
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

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   
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

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   

Fossils
Present   
Present   

Formation

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.   
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz   

Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine Grained   
Coarse or Fine   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Splintery   

Streak
Colorless   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Waxy and Dull   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
450.00 N/mm2   
1
95.00 N/mm2   
20

Cleavage
Non-Existent   
Perfect   

Toughness
1.5   
2.6   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7   
2.2-2.8   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.7 g/cm3   
2.2-2.8 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.74 kJ/Kg K   
19
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam   
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan   

Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   
Greenland   

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   
New South Wales, New Zealand   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Novaculite and Ganister Properties

Know all about Novaculite and Ganister properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Novaculite and Ganister belong to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous whereas that of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough. Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly and Ganister appears Rough. The luster of Novaculite is waxy and dull while that of Ganister is dull. Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow 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 Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones.

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