Basalt

Anorthosite

Basalt and Anorthosite

Basalt

Anorthosite

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1 Definition

1.1 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

Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Egypt

Unknown

1.2.2 Discoverer

Georgius Agricola

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Foliated, Glassy

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Dull and Soft

Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Curling

4 Types

4.1 Types

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

Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite

4.2 Features

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

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

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

Not Applicable

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene

5.2.2 Compound Content

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

Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Available

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

65-6

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Not Available

Pearly to Subvitreous

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²NA

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

Irregular

6.1.9 Toughness

2.3

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.8-32.62-2.82

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

Translucent

6.1.12 Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³2.7-4 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

Not Yet Found

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

Not Yet Found

7.1.3 Europe

Iceland

Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

Canada

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

Bolivia, Colombia

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Basalt and Anorthosite Properties

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