Amphibolite

Pyroxenite

Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite

Amphibolite

Pyroxenite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Unknown

1.2.2 Discoverer

Alexandre Brongniart

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

From Amphibole + -ite

From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks

1.4 Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

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

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Foliated

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 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

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

4 Types

4.1 Types

Hornblendite

Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

4.2 Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 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

5.2.2 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

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6-77

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Irregular to Conchoidal

Uneven

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

White, Greenish White or Grey

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Vitreous to Dull

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

NANA

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Irregular

6.1.9 Toughness

2.3

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.53.2-3.5

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.85-3.07 g/cm³3.1-3.6 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NANA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Russia, Turkey

India, Russia

7.1.2 Africa

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

South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

South Australia, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Amphibolite and Pyroxenite Reserves. Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase. Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite information and Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Amphibolite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Amphibolite and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Amphibolite and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Amphibolite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Amphibolite and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Amphibolite is Foliated and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Amphibolite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Amphibolite is 6-7 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Amphibolite are Hornblendite whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. 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 Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Amphibolite is Not Available and that of Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.