Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Origin
USA
Southern Alps, France
Discoverer
Unknown
Dolomieu
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Boninite and Jasperoid
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
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.
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Mineral Content
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Vitreous and Pearly
Cleavage
Irregular
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
1
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
2.8-3
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
China, India
Africa
Western Africa
Morocco, Namibia
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
All about Pseudotachylite and Dolomite Properties
Know all about Pseudotachylite and Dolomite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Dolomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Pseudotachylite is Quench whereas that of Dolomite is Earthy. Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft and Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Pseudotachylite is vitreous while that of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly. Pseudotachylite and Dolomite are available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone and that of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).