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Appinite and Picrite


Picrite and Appinite


Definition

Definition
Appinite is an igneous rock in which the crystals are so fine grained that individual minerals cannot be easily distinguished   
Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Hawaii Islands   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the variety of Lamprophyre Greek lampros bright and shining + porphureos purple   
From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Porphyritic   
Earthy, Rough   

Color
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated   
Rough and Shiny   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories   
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
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner   
As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Oceanite   

Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   
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
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
The formation of Appinite takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.   
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, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene   
Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
5-6   
6.8   

Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Uneven   

Streak
White   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
189.00 N/mm2   
11

Cleavage
Conchoidal   
Imperfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.75-2.92   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.95-2.96 g/cm3   
1.5-2.5 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.88 kJ/Kg K   
13

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Russia   
India, Russia   

Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa   
South Africa   

Europe
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom   
Iceland   

Others
Antarctica, Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Appinite and Picrite Properties

Know all about Appinite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Appinite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Appinite is Porphyritic whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Appinite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Appinite and Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Appinite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Appinite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).

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