Basalt vs Dacite

Basalt vs Dacite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Basalt and Dacite Reserves. Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth. Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Basalt vs Dacite information and Basalt vs Dacite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Basalt vs Dacite Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Basalt vs Dacite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basalt and Properties of Dacite. Learn more about Basalt vs Dacite in the next section. The interior uses of Basalt include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Dacite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basalt and Dacite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Basalt in construction industry include Arrowheads, As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Cutting tool, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Dacite include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping.

More about Basalt and Dacite

Here you can know more about Basalt and Dacite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basalt and Dacite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basalt includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Dacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basalt vs Dacite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Basalt is Dull and Soft and that of Dacite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basalt vs Dacite. The hardness of Basalt is 6 and that of Dacite is 2-2.25. The types of Basalt are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite whereas types of Dacite are Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basalt is white to grey while that of Dacite is white. The specific heat capacity of Basalt is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Dacite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Basalt is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Dacite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.