Phyllite and Benmoreite

Phyllite

Benmoreite

Definition

Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks

An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series

History

Origin

Unknown

Isle of Mull, Scotland

Discoverer

Unknown

Ben More

Etymology

From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1

From the name of discoverer, Ben More

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular

Color

Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Crinkled or Wavy

Rough and Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling

Types

Not Available

Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt

Features

Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Not Yet Used

Used

Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.

Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase

Compound Content

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1-2

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Phyllitic

Earthy

Compressive Strength

Not Available

37.40 N/mm²

Cleavage

Crenulation and Pervasive

Perfect

Toughness

1.2

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.72-2.73

2.8-3

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.18-3.3 g/cm³

2.9-3.1 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

0.84 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

India, Russia

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

South Africa

Europe

Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Iceland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Not Yet Found

Summary >>

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All about Phyllite and Benmoreite Properties

Know all about Phyllite and Benmoreite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Phyllite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Benmoreite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty whereas that of Benmoreite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular. Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy and Benmoreite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Phyllite is phyllitic while that of Benmoreite is earthy. Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors whereas Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates and that of Benmoreite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling.