Anorthosite

Picrite

Anorthosite and Picrite

Anorthosite

Picrite

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Definition

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

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

History

Origin

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Foliated, Glassy

Earthy, Rough

Color

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

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

Oceanite

Features

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Host Rock for Lead

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.

Picrite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Compound Content

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

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5-66.8

1 7

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Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Pearly to Subvitreous

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

180.00 N/mm²189.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.62-2.822.75-2.92

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent

Opaque

Density

2.7-4 g/cm³1.5-2.5 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

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

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Africa

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 Picrite Properties

Know all about Anorthosite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).