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Pseudotachylite and Mylonite


Mylonite and Pseudotachylite


Definition

Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.  
Mylonite is a metamorphic rock formed by ductile deformation during intense shearing encountered during folding and faulting, a process termed cataclastic or dynamic metamorphism  

History
  
  

Origin
USA  
New Zealand  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From pseudo- +‎ tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.  
From Greek mulōn mill + -ite  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
-  

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock  

Texture

Texture
Quench  
Foliated  

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White  
Black to Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
No  
No  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Dull and Soft  
Dull, Banded and Foilated  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement  
for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments  
Artifacts, Monuments  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry  

Types

Types
Cataclastic rock  
Blastomylonites, Ultramylonites and Phyllonites  

Features
Host Rock for Lead  
Surfaces are often shiny  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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.  
Mylonites are ductilely deformed rocks formed by the accumulation of large shear strain, in ductile fault zones.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides  
Porphyroblasts  

Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur  
Aluminium Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, Silicon Dioxide  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
No  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
-  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
No  
Yes  

Types of Erosion
-  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7  
3-4  

Grain Size
Very fine-grained  
Fine Grained  

Fracture
Uneven  
Conchoidal  

Streak
Light to dark brown  
White  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Highly Porous  

Luster
Vitreous  
Shiny  

Compressive Strength
60.00 N/mm2  
37
1.28 N/mm2  
99+

Cleavage
-  
Conchoidal  

Toughness
-  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86  
2.97-3.05  

Transparency
Transparent to Translucent  
Opaque  

Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3  
2.6-4.8 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K  
10
1.50 kJ/Kg K  
3

Resistance
Heat Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
South Korea  
China, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea  

Africa
Western Africa  
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Western Africa  

Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland  
England, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
-  
USA  

South America
-  
-  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia  
Central Australia, Western Australia  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Pseudotachylite and Mylonite Properties

Know all about Pseudotachylite and Mylonite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pseudotachylite and Mylonite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Pseudotachylite is Quench whereas that of Mylonite is Foliated. Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft and Mylonite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Pseudotachylite is vitreous while that of Mylonite is shiny. Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Mylonite is available in black to grey colors. The commercial uses of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone and that of Mylonite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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