Basalt

Rhyolite

Basalt and Rhyolite

Basalt

Rhyolite

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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

Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Egypt

North America

1.2.2 Discoverer

Georgius Agricola

Ferdinand von Richthofen

1.3 Etymology

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

From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular

Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Grey, White, Light Black

2.3 Maintenance

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

Banded

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Decorative Aggregates, 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, Office Buildings

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing, Whetstones

Not Yet Used

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

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

Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry

4 Types

4.1 Types

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

Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.

4.2 Features

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

Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors

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

Not Yet 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

Not Yet 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.

Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, 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, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

66-7

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine Grained

Large and Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

Sub-conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

White to Grey

Colorless

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Not Available

Earthy

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²140.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

6.1.9 Toughness

2.3

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.8-32.65-2.67

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³2.4-2.6 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg KNA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India, Russia

China, India

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

7.1.3 Europe

Iceland

Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil

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

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Basalt and Rhyolite Properties

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