FLEXIBLE SANDSTONE - A very strange rock!
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‘FLEXIBLE SANDSTONE’
A very strange rock!
From Brazil
In some parts of the world there are sandstones or quartzites that have the remarkable property of being slightly flexible when split into thin slabs. These very rare rocks are called itacolumite after Itacolumi in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, where it was first recognised.
The flexibility is due to the loose but interlocking nature of the quartz grains that make up the rock. The grains were originally cemented together but at some point they have separated due to the surface of the grains being dissolved. This has left tiny, uniform spaces between the grains allowing them to move like pieces of a loosely-joined jigsaw puzzle.
Warning - although this rock will bend slightly, it will break if bent too far!
Provided with a comprehensive label as shown.
A very strange rock!
From Brazil
In some parts of the world there are sandstones or quartzites that have the remarkable property of being slightly flexible when split into thin slabs. These very rare rocks are called itacolumite after Itacolumi in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, where it was first recognised.
The flexibility is due to the loose but interlocking nature of the quartz grains that make up the rock. The grains were originally cemented together but at some point they have separated due to the surface of the grains being dissolved. This has left tiny, uniform spaces between the grains allowing them to move like pieces of a loosely-joined jigsaw puzzle.
Warning - although this rock will bend slightly, it will break if bent too far!
Provided with a comprehensive label as shown.
Weight: 439 grams
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