Home
Compare Rocks


Andesite vs Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite vs Andesite


Definition

Definition
Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava   
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine   

History
  
  

Origin
North America   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance   
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic   

Color
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow   
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey   

Maintenance
More   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull and Soft   
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

Exterior Uses
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
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, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   

Types

Types
Icelandite   
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites   

Features
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock   
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   

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   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.   
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon   
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
7   

Grain Size
Very fine-grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Uneven   
Uneven   

Streak
White   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Vitreous   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
Not Available   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Irregular   

Toughness
1.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8   
3.2-3.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.11-2.36 g/cm3   
3.1-3.6 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
2.39 kJ/Kg K   
2
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea   
India, Russia   

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

Europe
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom   
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Mexico, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Definition >>
<< All

Andesite 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 Andesite and Pyroxenite Reserves. Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava. 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 Andesite vs Pyroxenite information and Andesite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Compare Igneous Rocks

Andesite 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. Andesite vs Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Andesite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Andesite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Andesite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Andesite and Pyroxenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Andesite in construction industry include Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Andesite and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Andesite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Andesite and Pyroxenite 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 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 Andesite vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Andesite is Dull and Soft and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Andesite vs Pyroxenite. Hardness of Andesite and Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Andesite are Icelandite 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 Andesite is white while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Andesite is 2.39 kJ/Kg K 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.Andesite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks