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Chert

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Owingsville, Bath Co., Kentucky, USA
© 2006 Peter Cristofono

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Colour:White, gray, brown, ...
Name:"Chert, perhaps originally chirt, is believed to be a local English term that was taken into geological use. It may be of onomatopoeic origin. The name chert may be of more recent origin than flint, and unlike flint, is not found in literary usage. It was well established in meaning in 1679 ..." (Frondel, C., 1962, The System of Mineralogy, v. 3, John Wiley & Sons, p. 223.)


Technically, chert is a "rock" - not a mineral. It is composed largely of quartz with few other minerals involved. The quartz is recrystallised from siliceous grains of biological origin, including diatoms. It is composed of microcrystalline quartz - found in layers and nodules in sedimentary rocks, typically light in color.
Chert is similar to flint, but light in color, and formed in a somewhat different environment.

Classification of Chert

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Physical Properties of Chert

Lustre:Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:White, gray, brown, black; other colors due to staining
Streak:White or lightly colored

Other Names for Chert

Synonyms:
HornstoneMozarkite
Other Languages:
German:Mozarkit
Simplified Chinese:燧石
硅质岩
Spanish:Mozarkita
Varieties:
NovaculiteRibbonstoneTaconite

Other Information

Health Warning:Like all quartz, breathing in fine particles for a prolonged period will produce silicosis.

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    • Localities for Chert

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