Definition
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Discoverer
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
From German which means hornstone
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded
Granular, Platy
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Biotite hornfels
Features
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Andalusite
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Shiny
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Perfect
Toughness
1
Not Yet Found
Specific Gravity
1.68
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.71 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Russia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
Not Yet Found
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Travertine vs Hornfels 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. Travertine vs Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Travertine and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Travertine vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Travertine include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Travertine and Hornfels, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Travertine in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Travertine and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Travertine and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Travertine and Hornfels consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Travertine includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz and mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Travertine vs Hornfels, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Travertine is Fibrous and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Travertine vs Hornfels. The hardness of Travertine is 3-4 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Travertine are Not Available whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Travertine is white while that of Hornfels is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Travertine is 1.09 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels 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.Travertine is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.