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
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms by the metamorphism of pure quartz Sandstone
Discoverer
Georgius Agricola
Unknown
Etymology
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
From quartz + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Foliated, Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Light Grey, Purple, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Lustrous
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As armour rock for sea walls, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, In aquifers, Laboratory bench tops, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Not Available
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
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.
Quartzite forms from sandstone and the mineral quartz being put under extreme heat and pressure.
Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Chlorite, Epidote, Hematite, Kyanite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Quartz
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, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Not Available
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Vitreous
Cleavage
Not Available
Indiscernible
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.6-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.32-2.42 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Israel, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Europe
Iceland
England, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Bahamas, Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
All about Basalt and Quartzite Properties
Know all about Basalt and Quartzite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks while Quartzite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Quartzite is Foliated, Granular. Basalt appears Dull and Soft and Quartzite appears Lustrous. The luster of Basalt is not available while that of Quartzite is vitreous. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Quartzite is available in black, blue, brown, green, light grey, purple, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums and that of Quartzite are an oil and gas reservoir, as armour rock for sea walls, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, in aquifers, laboratory bench tops, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones, used in aquariums.