Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
During the impact melted material forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments together form Suevite rock.
History
Origin
-
Canada, Germany
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
No etymologies found
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
-
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Earthy
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Banded
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Phyllosilicates, Calcite
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
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.
Suevite is a metamorphic rock consisting partly of melted material, typically forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments, formed during an impact event.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Coesite, Quartz, Stishovite
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
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
-
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Physical Properties
Hardness
5-65.5
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Earthy
Compressive Strength
180.00 N/mm265.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.822.86
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm32.8-2.9 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
-
Africa
-
-
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
-
South America
Bolivia, Colombia
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
-