Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Origin
Unknown
Pennsylvania, U.S.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Not Yet Used
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Not Yet Used
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
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, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Not Yet Used
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
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Types
Not Available
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet 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.
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Shiny
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Novaculite vs Anthracite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Novaculite vs Anthracite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Novaculite and Properties of Anthracite. Learn more about Novaculite vs Anthracite in the next section. The interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Novaculite and Anthracite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Novaculite in construction industry include 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 and that of Anthracite include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production.
More about Novaculite and Anthracite
Here you can know more about Novaculite and Anthracite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Novaculite and Anthracite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Novaculite vs Anthracite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Novaculite vs Anthracite. The hardness of Novaculite is 7 and that of Anthracite is 1-1.5. The types of Novaculite are Not Available whereas types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Novaculite is colorless while that of Anthracite is black. The specific heat capacity of Novaculite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Novaculite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant.