Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Borolanite is a variety of Nepheline Syenite and belongs to igneous rocks and contains nepheline-alkali feldspar pseudomorphs which occur as conspicuous white spots in the dark rock matrix
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From Alkalic Igneous complex near Loch Borralan in northwest Scotland
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
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
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Cemetery Markers
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
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
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Borolanites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.
Mineral Content
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
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, Contact Metamorphism
Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Greasy to Dull
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
2.6
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam
Africa
Western Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia
All about Pseudotachylite and Borolanite Properties
Know all about Pseudotachylite and Borolanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Borolanite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pseudotachylite is Quench whereas that of Borolanite is Granular. Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft and Borolanite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Pseudotachylite is vitreous while that of Borolanite is greasy to dull. Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Borolanite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone and that of Borolanite are cemetery markers.