Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
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, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Glassy
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, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet 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.
Tachylite 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
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Feldspar, Olivine
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
Vermilion
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
2.4
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
3.058 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
Western Africa
East Africa
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Victoria
All about Pseudotachylite and Tachylite Properties
Know all about Pseudotachylite and Tachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Tachylite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pseudotachylite is Quench whereas that of Tachylite is Vitreous. Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft and Tachylite appears Glassy. The luster of Pseudotachylite is vitreous while that of Tachylite is resinous. Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. The commercial uses of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone and that of Tachylite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.