Definition
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Discoverer
Unknown
Alois Wehrle
Etymology
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
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
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Rough and Banded
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
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
NA
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, 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.
Wehrlite 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
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, 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, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Applicable
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Irregular
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.1
Specific Gravity
2.46-2.86
8.4
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
South Korea
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Western Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Great Britain, Switzerland
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Not Yet Found
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Pseudotachylite vs Wehrlite 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 Wehrlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Pseudotachylite and Properties of Wehrlite. Learn more about Pseudotachylite vs Wehrlite in the next section. The interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Pseudotachylite and Wehrlite, 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 Wehrlite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones.
More about Pseudotachylite and Wehrlite
Here you can know more about Pseudotachylite and Wehrlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Pseudotachylite and Wehrlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides and mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Pseudotachylite vs Wehrlite, 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, Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. Appearance of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft and that of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Pseudotachylite vs Wehrlite. The hardness of Pseudotachylite is 7 and that of Wehrlite is 5.5-6. The types of Pseudotachylite are Not Available whereas types of Wehrlite are Not Available. 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 Wehrlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Wehrlite is 0.63 kJ/Kg K. 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 Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.