Andesite and Kimberlite

Andesite

Kimberlite

Definition

Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava

Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.

History

Origin

North America

Kimberley, South Africa

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Porphyritic

Color

Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Dull and Soft

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

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

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Icelandite

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Features

Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Middle of the Earth in Ecuador

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.

Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

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

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Not Available

Conchoidal

Toughness

1.1

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.8

2.86-2.87

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.11-2.36 g/cm³

2.95-2.96 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

2.39 kJ/Kg K

0.92 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea

Russia

Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Europe

Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Andesite and Kimberlite Properties

Know all about Andesite and Kimberlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Andesite and Kimberlite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Andesite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Kimberlite is Porphyritic. Andesite appears Dull and Soft and Kimberlite appears Dull and Banded. The luster of Andesite is vitreous while that of Kimberlite is subvitreous to dull. Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors whereas Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Andesite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Kimberlite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).