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'.
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From English word serpentinization.
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry
Types
Jadeitite
Not Available
Features
Host Rock for Lead
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
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
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.
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Mineral Content
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Quartz, Silicon
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
White, Greenish White or Grey
Colorless
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Irregular
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.79-3
2.5-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.5-3 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
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
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Colombia
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Serpentinite and Novaculite Properties
Know all about Serpentinite and Novaculite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Serpentinite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Serpentinite is Earthy whereas that of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous. Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull and Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Serpentinite and Novaculite is waxy and dull. Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors whereas Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Serpentinite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry.