Definition
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava
Pegmatite rock is a holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is composed of interlocking phaneritic crystals
Discoverer
Theodor von Gümbel
R. J. Hauy
Etymology
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance
From Greek pegma, pegmat which means- thing joined together + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Pegmatitic
Color
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Black, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Rust, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz
Types
Icelandite
Granite Pegmatite, Gabbro Pegmatite and Diorite Pegmatite
Features
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Source of corundum, tourmalines, beryls and topaz
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Middle of the Earth in Ecuador
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Formation
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.
Pegmatite rock is holocrystalline, intrusive igneous rock which is formed by partial melting and dewatering during the process of metamorphism.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon
Apatite, Beryl, Feldspar, Fluorite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Quartz, Silica, Spodumene, Topaz
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO, Phosphorus Pentoxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.6-2.63
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
2.6-2.65 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
China, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
South Africa
Europe
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Andesite vs Pegmatite 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. Andesite vs Pegmatite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Andesite and Properties of Pegmatite. Learn more about Andesite vs Pegmatite in the next section. The interior uses of Andesite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Pegmatite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Andesite and Pegmatite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Andesite in construction industry include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Pegmatite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping.
More about Andesite and Pegmatite
Here you can know more about Andesite and Pegmatite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Andesite and Pegmatite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Andesite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon and mineral content of Pegmatite includes Apatite, Beryl, Feldspar, Fluorite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Quartz, Silica, Spodumene, Topaz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Andesite vs Pegmatite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors whereas, Pegmatite is available in black, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, rust, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Andesite is Dull and Soft and that of Pegmatite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Andesite vs Pegmatite. Hardness of Andesite and Pegmatite is 7. The types of Andesite are Icelandite whereas types of Pegmatite are Granite Pegmatite, Gabbro Pegmatite and Diorite Pegmatite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Andesite and Pegmatite is white. The specific heat capacity of Andesite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K and that of Pegmatite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Andesite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Pegmatite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.