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
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites
1.2 History
1.2.1 Origin
1.2.2 Discoverer
Georgius Agricola
Alois Wehrle
1.3 Etymology
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle
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
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
2 Texture
2.1 Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Banded
2.2 Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green
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
Rough and Banded
3 Uses
3.1 Architecture
3.1.1 Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
3.1.2 Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, 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
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
3.2.2 Medical Industry
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, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
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
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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.
Wehrlite 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
Pyroxene
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, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
5.3 Transformation
5.3.1 Metamorphism
5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact 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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
6 Properties
6.1 Physical Properties
6.1.1 Hardness
6.1.2 Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
6.1.3 Fracture
6.1.4 Streak
6.1.5 Porosity
6.1.6 Luster
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/cm32.6-3.7 g/cm3
0
1400
6.2 Thermal Properties
6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.63 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
6.2.2 Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
7 Reserves
7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents
7.1.1 Asia
India, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
7.1.2 Africa
South Africa
Morocco, South Africa
7.1.3 Europe
Iceland
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
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
New Zealand, Western Australia