Definition
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
From diatom + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Vitreous
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Dark Brown
Grey, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Non-Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Volcanic glass
Diatomite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.
Mineral Content
Feldspar, Olivine
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.4
2.3-2.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.058 g/cm3
2.49-2.51 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
East Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Victoria
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Tachylite vs Diatomite 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. Tachylite vs Diatomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Tachylite and Properties of Diatomite. Learn more about Tachylite vs Diatomite in the next section. The interior uses of Tachylite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Tachylite and Diatomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Tachylite in construction industry include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers and that of Diatomite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium.
More about Tachylite and Diatomite
Here you can know more about Tachylite and Diatomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Tachylite and Diatomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine and mineral content of Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Tachylite vs Diatomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors whereas, Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Tachylite is Glassy and that of Diatomite is Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Tachylite vs Diatomite. The hardness of Tachylite is 5.5 and that of Diatomite is 1. The types of Tachylite are Volcanic glass whereas types of Diatomite are Diatomite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Tachylite is vermilion while that of Diatomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Tachylite is 0.56 kJ/Kg K and that of Diatomite is 0.90 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Diatomite is heat resistant.