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Rhyolite and Chert


Chert and Rhyolite


Definition

Definition
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica   
Chert is a hard, dark, opaque sedimentary rock which is composed of silica with an amorphous fine-grained texture   

History
  
  

Origin
North America   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Ferdinand von Richthofen   
Unknown   

Etymology
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone   
From flint-like quartz, 1670s, of unknown origin- a local term, which has been taken into geological use   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic   
Banded, Rough   

Color
Grey, White, Light Black   
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Banded   
Glassy or Pearly   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives   
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms   

Types

Types
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.   
Flint, Jasper, Radiolarite, Common Chert, Chalcedony, Agate, Onyx, Opal, Magadi-type Chert, Porcelanite, Siliceous Sinter   

Features
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.   
Chert forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The chert formation can be either of chemical or biological origin.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz   
Quartz, Silicon   

Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium   
Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
6.5-7   

Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Sub-conchoidal   
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal   

Streak
Colorless   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Earthy   
Waxy and Dull   

Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2   
15
450.00 N/mm2   
1

Cleavage
Not Available   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
2   
1.5   

Specific Gravity
2.65-2.67   
2.5-2.8   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.4-2.6 g/cm3   
2.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.74 kJ/Kg K   
19

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India   
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam   

Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain   
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   
Bolivia, Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia   
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Rhyolite and Chert Properties

Know all about Rhyolite and Chert properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Rhyolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Chert belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic whereas that of Chert is Banded, Rough. Rhyolite appears Banded and Chert appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Rhyolite is earthy while that of Chert is waxy and dull. Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors whereas Chert is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry and that of Chert are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.

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