Definition
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
  
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
Western Australia, Minnesota
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Newton Horace Winchell
  
Etymology
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
  
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
  
Banded, Trellis
  
Color
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
  
Red, Reddish Brown
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Crinkled or Wavy
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
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, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
  
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Is one of the oldest rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Present
  
Formation
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
  
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.
  
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
  
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
  
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
  
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
1-2
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Phyllitic
  
Earthy
  
Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive
  
Imperfect
  
Toughness
1.2
  
1.5
  
Specific Gravity
2.72-2.73
  
5-5.3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
3.20 kJ/Kg K
  
1
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
Canada, Mexico, USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
  
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
  
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia