Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart
Unknown
Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Quench
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Hornblendite
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
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
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Irregular
Toughness
2.3
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, Turkey
South Korea
Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Amphibolite and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Amphibolite and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite and Pseudotachylite belong to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.