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Tuff Rock



Definition

Definition
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption

History

Origin
Italy

Discoverer
Unknown

Etymology
From a Latin word tophous then in Italian tufo and finally tuff

Class
Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group
Volcanic

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture
Clastic, Pyroclastic

Color
Brown, Grey, Yellow

Maintenance
More

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
Yes

Scratch Resistant
Yes

Stain Resistant
No

Wind Resistant
No

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork

Types

Types
Welded tuff, Rhyolitic tuff, Basaltic tuff, Trachyte tuff, Andesitic tuff and Ignimbrite.

Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

Famous Monuments
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
-

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Absent

Formation

Formation
Tuff is formed when large masses of ash and sand which are mixed with hot gases are ejected by a volcano and avalanche rapidly down its slopes.

Composition

Mineral Content
Calcite, Chlorite

Compound Content
Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism
Yes

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion
Yes

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
4-6

Grain Size
Fine Grained

Fracture
Uneven

Streak
White

Porosity
Highly Porous

Luster
Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength
243.80 N/mm2 6

Cleavage
-

Toughness
-

Specific Gravity
2.73

Transparency
Opaque

Density
1-1.8 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.20 kJ/Kg K 32

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda

Europe
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia

Definition >>
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Igneous Rocks

Information about Tuff

Rocks are naturally occurring solids which are composed of minerals & have been used by humans since ages. From Stone Age, rocks are used for various purposes. Also, the metals and minerals found in rock play an important role in our life. Get to know all the Tuff Uses. We have provided you with all information about Tuff rock here. Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is available in brown, grey, yellow colors. The streak of a rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Tuff is white. Get to know more about Tuff rock and characteristics of Tuff rock in the next sections.

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