Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
  
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
  
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
  
Granular
  
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, 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
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
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
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
  
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
  
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest 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
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Used
  
Figurines
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Present
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
Colorless
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Waxy and Dull
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
450.00 N/mm2
  
1
150.00 N/mm2
  
14
Cleavage
Non-Existent
  
Poor
  
Toughness
1.5
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
  
2.6
  
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.7 g/cm3
  
2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.74 kJ/Kg K
  
19
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
  
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
  
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
  
Novaculite vs Nepheline Syenite 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 Nepheline Syenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Novaculite and Properties of Nepheline Syenite. Learn more about Novaculite vs Nepheline Syenite in the next section. The interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nepheline Syenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Novaculite and Nepheline Syenite, 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 Nepheline Syenite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Novaculite and Nepheline Syenite
Here you can know more about Novaculite and Nepheline Syenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Novaculite and Nepheline Syenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Nepheline Syenite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Novaculite vs Nepheline Syenite, 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, Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Nepheline Syenite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Novaculite vs Nepheline Syenite. The hardness of Novaculite is 7 and that of Nepheline Syenite is 5.5-6. The types of Novaculite are Not Available whereas types of Nepheline Syenite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. 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 Nepheline Syenite is white. The specific heat capacity of Novaculite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Nepheline Syenite is Not Available. 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 Nepheline Syenite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.