Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Troctolite is a mafic intrusive rock type. It consists essentially of major but variable amounts of olivine and calcic plagioclase along with minor pyroxene. It is an olivine-rich anorthosite, or a pyroxene-depleted relative of gabbro
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From German Troklotit, from Greek trōktēs, a marine fish (taken to be trout)
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Quench
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
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
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Cataclastic rock
Ultramafic rock
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
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.
Troctolite 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
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
-
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
-
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
India, Russia
Africa
Western Africa
South Africa
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
-
Canada, USA
South America
-
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
All about Pseudotachylite and Troctolite Properties
Know all about Pseudotachylite and Troctolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Troctolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Pseudotachylite is Quench whereas that of Troctolite is Phaneritic. Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft and Troctolite appears Veined and Shiny. The luster of Pseudotachylite is vitreous while that of Troctolite is . Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Troctolite is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone and that of Troctolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.