Anorthosite and Basalt
Definition
Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
History
Origin
Unknown
Egypt
Discoverer
Unknown
Georgius Agricola
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
No
Scratch Resistant
No
Yes
Stain Resistant
No
Yes
Wind Resistant
Yes
No
Acid Resistant
No
Yes
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Types
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
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.
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
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
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering
Erosion
Yes
No
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Available
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
5-6
6
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
37.40 N/mm2
28
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
2.3
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K
15
0.84 kJ/Kg K
15
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
India, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
South Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
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
Not Yet Found
All about Anorthosite and Basalt Properties
Know all about Anorthosite and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Basalt belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Basalt is not available. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.
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