Definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt
History
Origin
-
Iceland
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Foliated, Glassy
Vitreous
Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Black, Dark Brown
Maintenance
Less
More
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Glassy
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
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Volcanic glass
Features
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
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.
Tachylite 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
Feldspar, Olivine
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Fe, Mg
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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
5-65.5
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
White
Vermilion
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Pearly to Subvitreous
Resinous
Compressive Strength
180.00 N/mm2206.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
-
Specific Gravity
2.62-2.822.4
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.7-4 g/cm33.058 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.56 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea
Africa
-
East Africa
Europe
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden
Others
-
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada
USA
South America
Bolivia, Colombia
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
Victoria