Definition
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore which belongs to sedimentary rock and containing about 27% iron and 51% silica
History
Origin
Iran
Western Australia, Minnesota
Discoverer
Unknown
Newton Horace Winchell
Etymology
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
From the name of Taconic Mountains in New England
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Graphic
Banded, Trellis
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Red, Reddish Brown
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Architecture
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Igneous rock
Iron formation
Features
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
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.
Taconite is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. When the river reaches a lake or sea, its load of transported rocks settles or deposits at the bottom of sea or lake.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
6.55.5-6
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Large and Coarse Grained
Fracture
-
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Earthy
Compressive Strength
130.00 N/mm2190.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
-
1.5
Specific Gravity
2.65-5.3
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3-9999 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K3.20 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
-
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
-
Bolivia, Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia