Amphibolite and Charnockite

Amphibolite

Charnockite

Charnockite and Amphibolite

Definition

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

Charnockite is a variety of granite containing minerals like orthopyroxene, quartz, and feldspar

History

Origin

Unknown

Tamil Nadu, India

Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart

T. H. Holland

Etymology

From Amphibole + -ite

From Job Charnock, an administtrator of East India Company

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Granular

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Foliated

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Exterior Uses

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

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

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

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones

Types

Hornblendite

Enderbite

Features

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

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not 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.

Charnockite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard and is formed due to weathering of existing rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

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

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular to Conchoidal

Not Available

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Dull

Not Available

Cleavage

Irregular

Not Available

Toughness

2.3

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.5

Not Available

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia, Turkey

India

Africa

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

East Africa, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique

Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Albania, Romania, Scotland, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Charnockite Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Charnockite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Charnockite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Charnockite is Granular. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Charnockite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Charnockite is not available. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Charnockite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Charnockite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones.