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
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
1.2 History
1.2.1 Origin
1.2.2 Discoverer
Georgius Agricola
Patrick Marshall
1.3 Etymology
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
1.4 Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
1.4.1 Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
1.5 Family
1.5.1 Group
1.6 Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
2 Texture
2.1 Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Aphanitic
2.2 Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
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
Dull and Soft
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
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, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
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
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
3.2.2 Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
3.3 Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, 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
Not Available
4.2 Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
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
Data Not Available
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.
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
5.2 Composition
5.2.1 Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
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, NaCl
5.3 Transformation
5.3.1 Metamorphism
5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
5.3.3 Weathering
5.3.4 Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
5.3.5 Erosion
5.3.6 Types of Erosion
Not Available
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
6 Properties
6.1 Physical Properties
6.1.1 Hardness
6.1.2 Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
6.1.3 Fracture
6.1.4 Streak
6.1.5 Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
6.1.6 Luster
Not Available
Vitreous to Dull
6.1.7 Compressive Strength
37.40 N/mm2243.80 N/mm2
0.15
450
6.1.8 Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
6.1.9 Toughness
6.1.10 Specific Gravity
6.1.11 Transparency
6.1.12 Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm31-1.8 g/cm3
0
1400
6.2 Thermal Properties
6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.20 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
6.2.2 Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
7 Reserves
7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents
7.1.1 Asia
India, Russia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
7.1.2 Africa
South Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
7.1.3 Europe
Iceland
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
7.1.4 Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
7.2 Deposits in Western Continents
7.2.1 North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
7.2.2 South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent
7.3.1 Australia
Not Yet Found
Central Australia, Western Australia