Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
A carbonate rock which is matrix supported and contains over 10% allochems in a carbonate mud matrix.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Clastic
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Pottery
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Marl, Shale and Argillite
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Wackestone is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. These particles settle down and are then compacted due to high temperature and pressure hence forming Wackestone.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Perfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.6
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia, Colombia
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
All about Anorthosite and Wackestone Properties
Know all about Anorthosite and Wackestone properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Wackestone belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Wackestone is Clastic. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Wackestone appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Wackestone is dull. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Wackestone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Wackestone are cemetery markers, pottery.