Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
Discoverer
Unknown
Alois Wehrle
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Banded
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Ultramafic rock
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Wehrlite 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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Irregular
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.82
8.4
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm3
2.6-3.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
-
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
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 Zealand, Western Australia
All about Anorthosite and Wehrlite Properties
Know all about Anorthosite and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anorthosite and Wehrlite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. The commercial uses of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling and that of Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.