Anorthosite

Adakite

Anorthosite and Adakite

Anorthosite

Adakite

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Definition

Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase

Adakite is an intermediate to felsic volcanic rock that has geochemical characteristics of magma which is said to be formed by partial melting of altered basalt that is subducted below volcanic arcs

History

Origin

Adak, Aleutian Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Defant and Drummond

Etymology

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

From Adak, Aleutian Islands

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Glassy

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

Commemorative Tablets, Pottery, Used in aquariums

Types

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

Intermediate volcanic rock

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Host rock for Diamond, Very fine grained rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.

Adakite rocks are formed when the hydrous fluids are released from minerals that break down in metamorphosed basalt, and rise into the mantle they initiate partial melting.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide

Aluminium Oxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-63-4

1 7

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Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Bluish Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Pearly to Subvitreous

Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous

Compressive Strength

180.00 N/mm²200.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.62-2.82-9999

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.7-4 g/cm³-9999 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Africa

Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa

Europe

Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic

Iceland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Colombia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Anorthosite and Adakite Properties

Know all about Anorthosite and Adakite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Adakite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Adakite is Porphyritic. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Adakite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Adakite is grainy, pearly and vitreous. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Adakite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Adakite are commemorative tablets, pottery, used in aquariums.