Definition
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From quartz + -ite
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Granular
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Lustrous
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Not Available
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Mineral Content
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Dull to Pearly
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Indiscernible
Non-Existent
Toughness
1.9
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.8
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Quartzite vs Breccia 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. Quartzite vs Breccia characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Quartzite and Properties of Breccia. Learn more about Quartzite vs Breccia in the next section. The interior uses of Quartzite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Homes whereas the interior uses of Breccia include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Quartzite and Breccia, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Quartzite in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of glass and ceramics, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Breccia include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Quartzite and Breccia
Here you can know more about Quartzite and Breccia. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Quartzite and Breccia consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Quartzite includes Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz and mineral content of Breccia includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Quartzite vs Breccia, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors whereas, Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Quartzite is Lustrous and that of Breccia is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Quartzite vs Breccia. The hardness of Quartzite is 6-7 and that of Breccia is 7. The types of Quartzite are Not Available whereas types of Breccia are Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Quartzite and Breccia is white. The specific heat capacity of Quartzite is 0.75 kJ/Kg K and that of Breccia is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Quartzite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Breccia is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.