Basalt and Andesite

Basalt

Andesite

Definition

Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth

Andesite is a dark, fine-grained, brown or greyish intermediate volcanic rock which is a commonly found in lava

History

Origin

Egypt

North America

Discoverer

Georgius Agricola

Unknown

Etymology

From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites

From Andes mountains, where it is found in abundance

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow

Maintenance

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Dull and Soft

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Office Buildings, Roof Tiles

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite

Icelandite

Features

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India

Middle of the Earth in Ecuador

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.

Andesite is a fine-grained igneous rock that forms when the magma is erupted onto the surface and is crystallized quickly.

Composition

Mineral Content

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Zircon

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Not Available

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White to Grey

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Not Available

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²

225.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Toughness

2.3

1.1

Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.5-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³

2.11-2.36 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K

2.39 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea

Africa

South Africa

Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

Iceland

Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Mexico, USA

South America

Brazil

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Basalt and Andesite Properties

Know all about Basalt and Andesite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basalt and Andesite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Andesite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Basalt appears Dull and Soft and Andesite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Basalt is not available while that of Andesite is vitreous. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Andesite is available in bluish - grey, grey, pink, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Basalt and Andesite are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.