Definition
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Etymology
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Graphic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Banded
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, 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, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
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, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
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.
Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Metallic
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Chile
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Aplite vs Trachyte 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 Trachyte characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Aplite and Properties of Trachyte. Learn more about Aplite vs Trachyte 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 Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Aplite and Trachyte, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Aplite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Trachyte include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Aplite and Trachyte
Here you can know more about Aplite and Trachyte. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Aplite and Trachyte 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 Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Aplite vs Trachyte, 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, Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Trachyte is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Aplite vs Trachyte. The hardness of Aplite is 6.5 and that of Trachyte is 6. The types of Aplite are Not Available whereas types of Trachyte are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Aplite and Trachyte is white. The specific heat capacity of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Trachyte is Not Available. 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 Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.