Anorthosite

Aplite

Anorthosite and Aplite

Anorthosite

Aplite

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Definition

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

Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz

History

Origin

Iran

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Glassy

Granular, Graphic

Color

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

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones

Types

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

Igneous rock

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest 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.

Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

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

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

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-66.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Pearly to Subvitreous

Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength

180.00 N/mm²130.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.62-2.822.6

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.7-4 g/cm³2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

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

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

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

Europe

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

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Anorthosite and Aplite Properties

Know all about Anorthosite and Aplite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Aplite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Aplite is Granular, Graphic. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones.