Definition
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
  
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine
  
History
  
  
Origin
Iran
  
Hawaii Islands
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
  
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular, Graphic
  
Earthy, Rough
  
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
  
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
More
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
  
Rough and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
  
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
  
Types
Not Available
  
Oceanite
  
Features
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Host Rock for Lead
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Picrite 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, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
  
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6.5
  
6.8
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
  
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
130.00 N/mm2
  
16
189.00 N/mm2
  
11
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Imperfect
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.1
  
Specific Gravity
2.6
  
2.75-2.92
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6 g/cm3
  
1.5-2.5 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K
  
16
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat 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 Picrite Properties
Know all about Aplite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Aplite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Aplite is Granular, Graphic whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous while that of Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).