Definition
Scoria is a dark-colored extrusive igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities
  
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
  
History
  
  
Origin
Unknown
  
USA
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From late Middle English (denoting slag from molten metal), from Greek skōria refuse, from skōr dung
  
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Metamorphic Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Vesicular
  
Quench
  
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Grey to Black, Red
  
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Glassy and Vesicular
  
Dull and Soft
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Monuments
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, Creating Artwork, High-temperature insulation, In gas barbecue grills
  
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Surfaces are often shiny
  
Host Rock for Lead
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Scoria forms when magma containing huge amount of dissolved gas flows from a volcano during an eruption.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica
  
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
  
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
  
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Not Applicable
  
Erosion
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
  
Not Applicable
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
5-6
  
7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Very fine-grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
Light to dark brown
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Vitreous
  
Compressive Strength
Not Available
  
60.00 N/mm
2
  
25
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
2.1
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
Not Available
  
2.46-2.86
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Transparent to Translucent
  
Density
Not Available
  
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
  
South Korea
  
Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
  
Western Africa
  
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
  
Great Britain, Switzerland
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
  
Not Yet Found
  
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
Central Australia, Western Australia
  
Scoria vs Pseudotachylite 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. Scoria vs Pseudotachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Scoria and Properties of Pseudotachylite. Learn more about Scoria vs Pseudotachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Scoria include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pseudotachylite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Scoria and Pseudotachylite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Scoria in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, In landscaping and drainage works and that of Pseudotachylite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Scoria and Pseudotachylite
Here you can know more about Scoria and Pseudotachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Scoria and Pseudotachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Scoria includes Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz, Silica and mineral content of Pseudotachylite includes Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Scoria vs Pseudotachylite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Scoria is available in black, brown, dark grey to black, red colors whereas, Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Scoria is Glassy and Vesicular and that of Pseudotachylite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Scoria vs Pseudotachylite. The hardness of Scoria is 5-6 and that of Pseudotachylite is 7. The types of Scoria are Not Available whereas types of Pseudotachylite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Scoria is white while that of Pseudotachylite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Scoria is Not Available and that of Pseudotachylite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Scoria is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Pseudotachylite is heat resistant.