Definition
Arkose is a sedimentary rock, specifically a type of sandstone containing at least 25% feldspar
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Discoverer
Alexandre Brongniart
Unknown
Etymology
From Auvergne region of France used by a French geologist Alexandre Brongniart in 1826 who applied this term to some feldspathic sandstones
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Granular, Graphic
Color
Reddish Brown
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
Arkose rock forms from the weathering of feldspar-rich igneous or metamorphic rock, most commonly granitic rocks, which are primarily composed of quartz and feldspar.
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.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Not Yet Found
Arkose vs Aplite 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. Arkose vs Aplite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Arkose and Properties of Aplite. Learn more about Arkose vs Aplite in the next section. The interior uses of Arkose include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Arkose and Aplite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Arkose in construction industry include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Production of glass and ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Aplite include As dimension stone.
More about Arkose and Aplite
Here you can know more about Arkose and Aplite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Arkose and Aplite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Arkose includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz and mineral content of Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Arkose vs Aplite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Arkose is available in reddish brown colors whereas, Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Arkose is Rough and Dull and that of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Arkose vs Aplite. The hardness of Arkose is 6-7 and that of Aplite is 6.5. The types of Arkose are Not Available whereas types of Aplite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Arkose and Aplite is white. The specific heat capacity of Arkose is Not Available and that of Aplite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Arkose is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant.