Basalt

Pseudotachylite

Basalt and Pseudotachylite

Basalt

Pseudotachylite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth

Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Egypt

USA

1.2.2 Discoverer

Georgius Agricola

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites

From pseudo- +‎ tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Quench

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

81% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

81% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

86% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

66% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

42% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

49% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

19% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

48% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

15% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Dull and Soft

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums

Creating Artwork, Gemstone

4 Types

4.1 Types

Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite

Not Available

4.2 Features

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Host Rock for Lead

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 Formation

Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.

Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides

5.2.2 Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

97% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

50% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

99% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

65% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Not Applicable

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

92% Igneous Rocks Rocks have it !

✔ ✘

77% Metamorphic Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Available

Not Applicable

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

Light to dark brown

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Not Available

Vitreous

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

What Is Flint

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▼

37.40 N/mm²

Rank: 28 (Overall)▶

60.00 N/mm²

Rank: 25 (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Obsidian

⊕

▶

175 (What Is Grani..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

Irregular

6.1.9 Toughness

2.3

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.46-2.86

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

Transparent to Translucent

6.1.12 Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³

2.7-2.9 g/cm³

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

What Is Banded ..

⊕

▶

▼

0.84 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 15 (Overall)▶

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 10 (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Granulite

⊕

▶

1.09 (What Is Trave..)

◀ ▶ ADD ⊕

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

South Korea

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

Western Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Iceland

Great Britain, Switzerland

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

Not Yet Found

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

Not Yet Found

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

Central Australia, Western Australia

All about Basalt and Pseudotachylite Properties

Know all about Basalt and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Basalt appears Dull and Soft and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Basalt is not available while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums and that of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.