Definition
Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From Amphibole + -ite
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
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 Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
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, 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, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Hornblendite
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, 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
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
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
Amphibolite vs Gabbro 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 Gabbro characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Amphibolite and Properties of Gabbro. Learn more about Amphibolite vs Gabbro 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 Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Amphibolite and Gabbro, 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 Gabbro include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Amphibolite and Gabbro
Here you can know more about Amphibolite and Gabbro. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Amphibolite and Gabbro 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 Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Amphibolite vs Gabbro, 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, Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Amphibolite is Foliated and that of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Amphibolite vs Gabbro. The hardness of Amphibolite is 6-7 and that of Gabbro is 7. The types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite whereas types of Gabbro 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 Gabbro is black. The specific heat capacity of Amphibolite is Not Available and that of Gabbro 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 Gabbro is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.
