Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt
History
Origin
-
Pike County, U.S
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Dark Greenish - Grey
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Shiny
Architecture
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
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite
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
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
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.
Pyrolite 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
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5-65.5-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Irregular
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Shiny
Compressive Strength
180.00 N/mm2107.55 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
2.1
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.823-3.01
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm33.1-3.4 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K1.25 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear 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
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
New Zealand, Western Australia