Amphibolite and Dunite

Amphibolite

Dunite

Dunite and Amphibolite

Definition

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

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

Unknown

New Zealand

Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology

From Amphibole + -ite

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

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

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Foliated

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

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, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

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

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Hornblendite

Not Available

Features

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

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, 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.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

3.5-4

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular to Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous to Dull

Shiny

Compressive Strength

Not Available

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Irregular

Imperfect

Toughness

2.3

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.5

3-3.01

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Russia, Turkey

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

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

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Dunite Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Dunite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Dunite is shiny. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.