Definition
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
Unknown
Discoverer
Newton Horace Winchell
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Banded, Rough
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.
Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Silicon
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
5-5.3
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.7-2.71 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Azerbaijan, China, Russia
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Not Yet Found
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Bolivia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, South Australia
Taconite vs Flint 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. Taconite vs Flint characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Taconite and Properties of Flint. Learn more about Taconite vs Flint in the next section. The interior uses of Taconite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Flint include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Taconite and Flint, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Taconite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills. and that of Flint include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Spear points.
More about Taconite and Flint
Here you can know more about Taconite and Flint. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Taconite and Flint consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Taconite includes Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz and mineral content of Flint includes Silicon. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Taconite vs Flint, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Taconite is available in red, reddish brown colors whereas, Flint is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. Appearance of Taconite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Flint is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Taconite vs Flint. The hardness of Taconite is 5.5-6 and that of Flint is 7. The types of Taconite are Not Available whereas types of Flint are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Taconite and Flint is white. The specific heat capacity of Taconite is 3.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Flint is 0.74 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Taconite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Flint is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.