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What is Phyllite?



Definition

Definition
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks

History

Origin
-

Discoverer
Unknown

Etymology
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1

Class
Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group
-

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty

Color
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance
More

Durability
Durable

Water Resistant
No

Scratch Resistant
No

Stain Resistant
No

Wind Resistant
No

Acid Resistant
No

Appearance
Crinkled or Wavy

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone

Medical Industry
-

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates

Types

Types
Phyllite

Features
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments
-

Famous Monuments
-

Sculpture
-

Famous Sculptures
-

Pictographs
-

Petroglyphs
-

Figurines
-

Fossils
Absent

Formation

Formation
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.

Composition

Mineral Content
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon

Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism
No

Types of Metamorphism
-

Weathering
Yes

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion
Yes

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness
1-2

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture
Conchoidal

Streak
White

Porosity
Highly Porous

Luster
Phyllitic

Compressive Strength
50.00 N/mm2 39

Cleavage
Crenulation and Pervasive

Toughness
1.2

Specific Gravity
2.72-2.73

Transparency
Opaque

Density
2.18-3.3 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K 17

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Others
-

Deposits in Western Continents

North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA

South America
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland

Summary >>
<< Reserves

Metamorphic Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Phyllite

What is Phyllite? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Phyllite i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Phyllite include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Phyllite is 50.00 N/mm2. Streak of Phyllite is white while its cleavage is crenulation and pervasive. Luster of Phyllite is phyllitic and its fracture is conchoidal. Phyllite is opaque in nature. Know all about Phyllite, What is Phyllite, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Phyllite

What is Phyllite composed of? Get to know about composition of Phyllite here. Phyllite definition gives information about the Formation of Phyllite and its composition.The composition of Phyllite can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Phyllite rock includes Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon and The compound content of Phyllite rock includes CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Phyllite rock in next section.

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