Definition
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
Cataclasite is a type of cataclastic rock that is formed by fracturing and comminution during faulting. It is normally cohesive and non-foliated, consisting of angular clasts in a finer-grained matrix
History
Origin
-
Swiss Alps, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Michael Tellinger
Etymology
From quartz + -ite
From the Italian word cataclasi
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Granular
Clastic
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Brown, Green, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Lustrous
Dull and Banded
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Other Uses
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
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Orthoquartzite and Metaquartzite
Protocataclasite, Mesocataclasite, Ultracataclasite and Foliated cataclasite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Cataclasiste rocks mainly form by pressure deep under the Earth's surface, from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Composition
Mineral Content
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
Albite, Apatite, Augite, Biotite, Calcite, Enstatite, Epidote, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-73-4
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
-
Streak
White
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
115.00 N/mm250.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
Indiscernible
-
Toughness
1.9
-
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.82.1
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Transparent to Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.32-2.42 g/cm32.9-3.1 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.75 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
England, Finland, France, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Bahamas, Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia