Definition
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
From Latin basanites + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vitreous
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Dark Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Whetstones
Construction Industry
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Types
Not Available
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
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
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Tachylite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Mineral Content
Feldspar, Olivine
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Resinous
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.4
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
3.058 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Not Yet Found
Africa
East Africa
Uganda
Europe
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Others
Hawaii Islands
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Not Yet Found
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Victoria
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Tachylite and Basanite Properties
Know all about Tachylite and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Tachylite and Basanite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Tachylite is Vitreous whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Tachylite appears Glassy and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Tachylite is resinous while that of Basanite is waxy and dull. Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Tachylite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.