Definition
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous 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
Vitreous
Color
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Dark Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
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
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Felsic volcanic rock
Volcanic glass
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are 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.
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.
Mineral Content
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Feldspar, Olivine
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
3.058 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
East Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Brazil, Chile
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Victoria
Trachyte vs Tachylite 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 Tachylite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Trachyte and Properties of Tachylite. Learn more about Trachyte vs Tachylite in the next section. The interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tachylite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Trachyte and Tachylite, 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 Tachylite include Cutting tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers.
More about Trachyte and Tachylite
Here you can know more about Trachyte and Tachylite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Trachyte and Tachylite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Tachylite includes Feldspar, Olivine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Trachyte vs Tachylite, 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, Tachylite is available in black, dark brown colors. Appearance of Trachyte is Banded and that of Tachylite is Glassy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Trachyte vs Tachylite. The hardness of Trachyte is 6 and that of Tachylite is 5.5. The types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock whereas types of Tachylite are Volcanic glass. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Trachyte is white while that of Tachylite is vermilion. The specific heat capacity of Trachyte is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Tachylite is 0.56 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 Tachylite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.