Definition
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
  
Sandstone is defined as a rock which is composed of sand-sized grains of various minerals mostly of uniform size and often are smooth and rounded
  
History
  
  
Origin
Iran
  
Unknown
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
  
From its composition, sand and stone
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Not Applicable
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Granular, Graphic
  
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
  
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Maintenance
More
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
  
Rough
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, 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, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
  
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
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
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
  
Types
Not Available
  
Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister
  
Features
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Abu Simbel in Egypt, Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Buland Darwaza in Agra, India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Maharashtra, India, Dom in Berlin, Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi, India, India Gate in Delhi, India, Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, Khajuraho Temples, India, Leh Palace in Leh, India, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India, Luxor Temple in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Petra in Jordan, Qutb Minar in India, Red Fort in Delhi, India, Sanchi Stupa in India
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
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.
  
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which forms from cemented sand-sized clasts. It forms when sand layers are buried under sediments of sand.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
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, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
No
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Not Applicable
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical 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
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
  
Coarse or Fine
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Less Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
  
Dull
  
Compressive Strength
130.00 N/mm2
  
16
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Perfect
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.6
  
2.2-2.8
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.6 g/cm3
  
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K
  
16
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan
  
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
  
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Not Yet Found
  
Brazil
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Not Yet Found
  
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Aplite vs Sandstone Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Aplite vs Sandstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Aplite and Properties of Sandstone. Learn more about Aplite vs Sandstone in the next section. The interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Sandstone include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Aplite and Sandstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Aplite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Sandstone include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Aplite and Sandstone
Here you can know more about Aplite and Sandstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Aplite and Sandstone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Sandstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Aplite vs Sandstone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas, Sandstone is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Sandstone is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Aplite vs Sandstone. The hardness of Aplite is 6.5 and that of Sandstone is 6-7. The types of Aplite are Not Available whereas types of Sandstone are Grey Sandstones, Crystallized Sandstones, Hard Sandstones , Carbonate Cemented Sandstones and Ganister. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Aplite and Sandstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Sandstone is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Sandstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.