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Serpentinite and Metapelite


Metapelite and Serpentinite


Definition

Definition
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.  
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone  

History
  
  

Origin
USA  
-  

Discoverer
Unknown  
Unknown  

Etymology
From English word serpentinization.  
From Pelos or clay in Greek  

Class
Metamorphic Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock  

Family
  
  

Group
-  
-  

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

Texture

Texture
Earthy  
Foliated  

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White  
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Scratch Resistant
No  
Yes  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
Yes  

Wind Resistant
No  
No  

Acid Resistant
No  
No  

Appearance
Rough and Dull  
Banded  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration  

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
Curbing  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  

Medical Industry
-  
-  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture  
Artifacts  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork  
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork  

Types

Types
Jadeitite  
Metamorphic rock  

Features
Host Rock for Lead  
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.  
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.  

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides  
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz  

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
No  

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism  
-  

Weathering
No  
Yes  

Types of Weathering
-  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering  

Erosion
Yes  
Yes  

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

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3-5  
5-6  

Grain Size
Very fine-grained  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Uneven  
Fibrous  

Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey  
-  

Porosity
Less Porous  
Highly Porous  

Luster
Waxy and Dull  
Earthy  

Compressive Strength
310.00 N/mm2  
2
40.00 N/mm2  
40

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
7  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.79-3  
3.4-3.7  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.5-3 g/cm3  
0-300 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.95 kJ/Kg K  
9
0.72 kJ/Kg K  
22

Resistance
Heat Resistant  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea  
-  

Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa  
Western Africa  

Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom  
United Kingdom  

Others
-  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada  
-  

South America
Colombia  
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia  
Central Australia, Western Australia  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Serpentinite and Metapelite Properties

Know all about Serpentinite and Metapelite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Serpentinite and Metapelite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Serpentinite is Earthy whereas that of Metapelite is Foliated. Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull and Metapelite appears Banded. The luster of Serpentinite is waxy and dull while that of Metapelite is earthy. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors whereas Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Serpentinite and Metapelite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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