Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
History
Origin
USA
-
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Quench
Banded, Rough
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Glassy or Pearly
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Types
Cataclastic rock
Chert and Jasper
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
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.
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Composition
Mineral Content
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Silicon
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
-
-
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
77
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
60.00 N/mm2450.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.862.5-2.8
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm32.7-2.71 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Africa
Western Africa
-
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
USA
South America
-
Bolivia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, South Australia