Amphibolite and Borolanite

Amphibolite

Borolanite

Definition

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

Borolanite is a variety of Nepheline Syenite and belongs to igneous rocks and contains nepheline-alkali feldspar pseudomorphs which occur as conspicuous white spots in the dark rock matrix

History

Origin

Unknown

Scotland

Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart

Unknown

Etymology

From Amphibole + -ite

From Alkalic Igneous complex near Loch Borralan in northwest Scotland

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Granular

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Foliated

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers

Types

Hornblendite

Not Available

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Borolanites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

Compound Content

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

5.5-6

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular to Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Dull

Greasy to Dull

Compressive Strength

Not Available

150.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Irregular

Poor

Toughness

2.3

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.5

2.6

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia, Turkey

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Africa

Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Borolanite Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Borolanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Borolanite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Borolanite is Granular. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Borolanite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Borolanite is greasy to dull. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Borolanite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite and Borolanite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.