Definition
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
Kenyte is a variety of porphyritic phonolite or trachyte rock with rhomb shaped phenocrysts of anorthoclase with variable olivine and augite in a glassy matrix
Discoverer
Unknown
J. W. Gregory
Etymology
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
From the mountain ranges- Mount Kenya and is named by J. W. Gregory in 1900
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
Glassy, Granular
Color
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Crinkled or Wavy
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
Kenyte is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
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
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Phyllitic
Greasy to Dull
Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive
-
Specific Gravity
2.72-2.73
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
Phyllite vs Kenyte 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 Kenyte characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Phyllite and Properties of Kenyte. Learn more about Phyllite vs Kenyte in the next section. The interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Kenyte include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Phyllite and Kenyte, 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 Kenyte include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Phyllite and Kenyte
Here you can know more about Phyllite and Kenyte. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Phyllite and Kenyte 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 Kenyte includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Phyllite vs Kenyte, 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, Kenyte is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy and that of Kenyte is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Phyllite vs Kenyte. The hardness of Phyllite is 1-2 and that of Kenyte is 5.5-6. The types of Phyllite are Phyllite whereas types of Kenyte are Foidolite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Phyllite is white while that of Kenyte is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Phyllite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Kenyte is 0.84 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 Kenyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.