Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite
Discoverer
Unknown
Bayley
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
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.
Litchfieldite 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
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Greasy to Dull
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
2.6
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
Not Yet Found
Africa
Western Africa
South Africa
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Canada
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Pseudotachylite vs Litchfieldite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Pseudotachylite vs Litchfieldite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pseudotachylite and Properties of Litchfieldite. Learn more about Pseudotachylite vs Litchfieldite in the next section. The interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Litchfieldite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pseudotachylite and Litchfieldite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Pseudotachylite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement and that of Litchfieldite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics.
More about Pseudotachylite and Litchfieldite
Here you can know more about Pseudotachylite and Litchfieldite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pseudotachylite and Litchfieldite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides and mineral content of Litchfieldite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Pseudotachylite vs Litchfieldite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Litchfieldite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft and that of Litchfieldite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pseudotachylite vs Litchfieldite. The hardness of Pseudotachylite is 7 and that of Litchfieldite is 5.5-6. The types of Pseudotachylite are Not Available whereas types of Litchfieldite are Borolanite and Litchfieldite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown while that of Litchfieldite is white. The specific heat capacity of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Litchfieldite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Pseudotachylite is heat resistant whereas Litchfieldite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.