Andesite and Rhyolite

Andesite

Rhyolite

Rhyolite and Andesite

Definition

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

Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica

History

Origin

North America

Discoverer

Unknown

Ferdinand von Richthofen

Etymology

From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance

From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic

Color

Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow

Grey, White, Light Black

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Dull and Soft

Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Not Yet Used

Industry

Construction Industry

Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry

Types

Icelandite

Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.

Features

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

Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Middle of the Earth in Ecuador

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet 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.

Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

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

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Large and Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven

Sub-conchoidal

Streak

White

Colorless

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Earthy

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²

140.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Toughness

1.1

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.8

2.65-2.67

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.11-2.36 g/cm³

2.4-2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

2.39 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea

China, India

Africa

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

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

Canada, USA

South America

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

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Andesite and Rhyolite Properties

Know all about Andesite and Rhyolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Andesite and Rhyolite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Andesite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Rhyolite is Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic. Andesite appears Dull and Soft and Rhyolite appears Banded. The luster of Andesite is vitreous while that of Rhyolite is earthy. Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors whereas Rhyolite is available in grey, white, light black colors. The commercial uses of Andesite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Rhyolite are gemstone, laboratory bench tops, jewelry.