Definition
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
From Greek di + base
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Aphanitic, Granular
Color
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.54-2.73
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
India
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Siltstone vs Diabase 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. Siltstone vs Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Siltstone and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Siltstone vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Siltstone and Diabase, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Siltstone in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Siltstone and Diabase
Here you can know more about Siltstone and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Siltstone and Diabase consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Siltstone vs Diabase, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors whereas, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Siltstone is Rough and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Siltstone vs Diabase. The hardness of Siltstone is 6-7 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Siltstone are Not Available whereas types of Diabase are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Siltstone is white while that of Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Siltstone is Not Available and that of Diabase is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.