Definition
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
  
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
  
From Latin basanites + -ite
  
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
  
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
  
Color
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
  
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Crinkled or Wavy
  
Glassy or Pearly
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Whetstones
  
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
  
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
  
As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
  
Types
Not Available
  
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
  
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Not Yet Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
  
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
  
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
  
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
  
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
  
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Chemical 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
1-2
  
7
  
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Phyllitic
  
Waxy and Dull
  
Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive
  
Non-Existent
  
Toughness
1.2
  
1.5
  
Specific Gravity
2.72-2.73
  
2.5-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Translucent to Opaque
  
Density
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
  
2.7 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.74 kJ/Kg K
  
19
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
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Uganda
  
Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
  
Bolivia, Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
  
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Phyllite vs Basanite 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. Phyllite vs Basanite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Phyllite and Properties of Basanite . Learn more about Phyllite vs Basanite in the next section. The interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes. Due to some exceptional properties of Phyllite and Basanite , they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Phyllite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone and that of Basanite include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points.
More about Phyllite and Basanite
Here you can know more about Phyllite and Basanite . The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Phyllite and Basanite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Phyllite includes Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon and mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Phyllite vs Basanite , the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors whereas, Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy and that of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Phyllite vs Basanite . The hardness of Phyllite is 1-2 and that of Basanite is 7. The types of Phyllite are Not Available whereas types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Phyllite and Basanite is white. The specific heat capacity of Phyllite is Not Available and that of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Phyllite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Basanite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.