Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Boninite is a mafic extrusive rock which is high in magnesium and silica content, formed in fore-arc environments, typically during the early stages of subduction
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart
Unknown
Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite
From its occurrence in the Izu-Bonin arc south of Japan
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey
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, Homes, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Hornblendite
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, High Mg content, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
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.
Boninite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or existing rocks.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Vitreous
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, Turkey
Not Available
Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
England, Finland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia, Uruguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Amphibolite vs Boninite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Amphibolite vs Boninite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Amphibolite and Properties of Boninite. Learn more about Amphibolite vs Boninite in the next section. The interior uses of Amphibolite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Boninite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Amphibolite and Boninite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Amphibolite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone and that of Boninite include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Amphibolite and Boninite
Here you can know more about Amphibolite and Boninite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Amphibolite and Boninite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Amphibolite includes Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite and mineral content of Boninite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Amphibolite vs Boninite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas, Boninite is available in bluish - grey, brown, colourless, green, grey colors. Appearance of Amphibolite is Foliated and that of Boninite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Amphibolite vs Boninite. The hardness of Amphibolite is 6-7 and that of Boninite is 7. The types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite whereas types of Boninite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Amphibolite is white to grey while that of Boninite is white. The specific heat capacity of Amphibolite is Not Available and that of Boninite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Amphibolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Boninite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.