Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Quench
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
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, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments
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
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Colorless
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Irregular
Toughness
1.5
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
South Korea
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Western Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Novaculite vs Pseudotachylite 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 Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Novaculite and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Novaculite vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Novaculite and Pseudotachylite, 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 Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Novaculite and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Novaculite and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Novaculite and Pseudotachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Novaculite vs Pseudotachylite, 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, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Novaculite vs Pseudotachylite. Hardness of Novaculite and Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Novaculite are Not Available whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Not Available. 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 Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Novaculite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 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 Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.