Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Sovite is a coarse-grained variety of carbonatite which belongs to intrusive igneous rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Not Available
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Unknown, Unknown
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Not Available
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
Sovites are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
1
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Not Yet Found
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
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
New South Wales, New Zealand
All about Anorthosite and Sovite Properties
Know all about Anorthosite and Sovite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Sovite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Sovite is Granular, Poikiloblastic. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Sovite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Sovite is subvitreous to dull. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Sovite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Sovite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, creating artwork, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).