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Phyllite and Taconite


Taconite and Phyllite


Definition

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

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   

Uses

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

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

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   

Properties

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   

Reserves

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   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Phyllite and Taconite Properties

Know all about Phyllite and Taconite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Phyllite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Taconite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Phyllite is Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty whereas that of Taconite is Banded, Trellis. Phyllite appears Crinkled or Wavy and Taconite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Phyllite is phyllitic while that of Taconite is earthy. Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors whereas Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Phyllite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, writing slates and that of Taconite are as a touchstone, cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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