Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Greenschist is a metamorphic rock that is formed under lowest temperatures and pressures and is usually produced by regional metamorphism
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
From minerals such as chlorite, serpentine, and epidote, and platy minerals such as muscovite and platy serpentine which are green in color
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Foliated, Platy
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded
Layered and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Blackboards, Manufacture of tools, Writing Slates
Types
Felsic volcanic rock
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Easily splits into thin plates, Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.
Greenschist is medium grade metamorphic rock, formed by the metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, or some types of igneous rock, when it is subjected to higher temperatures and pressures.
Mineral Content
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.7
2.5-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil, Chile
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
Trachyte vs Greenschist 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. Trachyte vs Greenschist characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Greenschist. Learn more about Trachyte vs Greenschist in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Greenschist include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Greenschist, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Trachyte in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories and that of Greenschist include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Trachyte and Greenschist
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Greenschist. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Greenschist consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Greenschist includes Alusite, Amphibole, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Serpentine, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Trachyte vs Greenschist, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors whereas, Greenschist is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Greenschist is Layered and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Greenschist. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Greenschist is 3.5-4. The types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock whereas types of Greenschist are Metamorphic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Trachyte and Greenschist is white. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Greenschist is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant whereas Greenschist is impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.