Definition
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Origin
Iran
Skye, Scotland
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
From mugear + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Graphic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Formation
Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Applicable
Toughness
Not Available
2.3
Specific Gravity
2.6
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India, Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
All about Aplite and Mugearite Properties
Know all about Aplite and Mugearite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Aplite and Mugearite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Aplite is Granular, Graphic whereas that of Mugearite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled and Mugearite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous while that of Mugearite is not available. Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Mugearite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones and that of Mugearite are creating artwork.