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Amphibolite and Websterite


Websterite and Amphibolite


Definition

Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase   
Websterite is ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that consists of roughly equal proportions of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene. It is a special type of pyroxenite.   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Webster, North Carolina   

Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite   
From the town of Webster located in North Carolina   

Class
Metamorphic Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
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

Texture
Banded, Foliated, Massive   
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey   
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Foliated   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, 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   
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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Hornblendite   
Not Available   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny   
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Websterite can be formed as cumulates in ultramafic intrusions by accumulation of pyroxene crystals at the base of the lava chamber.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite   
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
7   

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal   
Uneven   

Streak
White to Grey   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Vitreous to Dull   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Cleavage
Irregular   
Irregular   

Toughness
2.3   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.5   
3.2-3.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3   
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Russia, Turkey   
India, Russia   

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

Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
South Australia, Western Australia   
New Zealand, Queensland   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Amphibolite and Websterite Properties

Know all about Amphibolite and Websterite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Websterite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive whereas that of Websterite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Amphibolite appears Foliated and Websterite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull while that of Websterite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas Websterite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. The commercial uses of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Websterite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.

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