Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Eclogite is an extreme metamorphic rock, formed by regional metamorphism of basalt rock under very high pressure and temperature
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart
René Just Haüy
Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite
From French, Greek eklogē selection with reference to the selective content of the rock + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness 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
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Dull, Banded and Foilated
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
Paving 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
Not Yet Used
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
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
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, 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
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Eclogite forms from high-pressure metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks mainly, basalt or gabbro as it plunges into the mantle in a subduction zone.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Amphibole, Coesite, Corundum, Dolomite, Garnet, Kyanite, Lawsonite, Paragonite, Phengite, Pyroxene, Quartz, Rutile, Zoisite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Potassium, Sodium
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Not Available
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Irregular
Perfect
Toughness
2.3
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
3.2-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, Turkey
India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Scotland
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland
Amphibolite vs Eclogite 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 Eclogite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Amphibolite and Properties of Eclogite. Learn more about Amphibolite vs Eclogite 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 Eclogite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Amphibolite and Eclogite, 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 Eclogite include Not yet used.
More about Amphibolite and Eclogite
Here you can know more about Amphibolite and Eclogite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Amphibolite and Eclogite 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 Eclogite includes Amphibole, Coesite, Corundum, Dolomite, Garnet, Kyanite, Lawsonite, Paragonite, Phengite, Pyroxene, Quartz, Rutile, Zoisite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Amphibolite vs Eclogite, 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, Eclogite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Amphibolite is Foliated and that of Eclogite is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Amphibolite vs Eclogite. The hardness of Amphibolite is 6-7 and that of Eclogite is 3.5-4. The types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite whereas types of Eclogite 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 Eclogite is white. The specific heat capacity of Amphibolite is Not Available and that of Eclogite 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 Eclogite is heat resistant.