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
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
1.2 History
1.2.1 Origin
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 German, Horn horn + blende
1.4 Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
1.4.1 Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
1.5 Family
1.5.1 Group
1.6 Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
2 Texture
2.1 Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Banded, Foliated, Massive
2.2 Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
2.3 Maintenance
2.4 Durability
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
3 Uses
3.1 Architecture
3.1.1 Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
3.1.2 Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
3.2.2 Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
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
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
4 Types
4.1 Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
4.2 Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
4.3 Archaeological Significance
4.3.1 Monuments
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
4.3.4 Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
4.3.5 Pictographs
4.3.6 Petroglyphs
4.3.7 Figurines
4.4 Fossils
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.
Hornblendite 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.
5.2 Composition
5.2.1 Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
5.2.2 Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
5.3 Transformation
5.3.1 Metamorphism
5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
5.3.3 Weathering
5.3.4 Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
5.3.5 Erosion
5.3.6 Types of Erosion
Not Available
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
6 Properties
6.1 Physical Properties
6.1.1 Hardness
6.1.2 Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
6.1.3 Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular to Conchoidal
6.1.4 Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
6.1.5 Porosity
6.1.6 Luster
Not Available
Vitreous to Dull
6.1.7 Compressive Strength
6.1.8 Cleavage
6.1.9 Toughness
6.1.10 Specific Gravity
6.1.11 Transparency
6.1.12 Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm32.85-3.07 g/cm3
0
1400
6.2 Thermal Properties
6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity
6.2.2 Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
7 Reserves
7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents
7.1.1 Asia
India, Russia
Russia, Turkey
7.1.2 Africa
South Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
7.1.3 Europe
Iceland
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
7.1.4 Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
7.2 Deposits in Western Continents
7.2.1 North America
7.2.2 South America
7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent
7.3.1 Australia
Not Yet Found
South Australia, Western Australia