Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight
Origin
-
Southern Alps, France
Discoverer
Unknown
Dolomieu
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Glassy or Pearly
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
-
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Boninite and Jasperoid
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous and Pearly
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.8-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Uganda
Morocco, Namibia
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula
Basanite vs Dolomite 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. Basanite vs Dolomite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Dolomite. Learn more about Basanite vs Dolomite in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Dolomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Dolomite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Basanite in construction industry include Arrowheads, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, Spear points and that of Dolomite include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Production of glass and ceramics, Serves as an oil and gas reservoir rock.
More about Basanite and Dolomite
Here you can know more about Basanite and Dolomite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Dolomite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Dolomite includes Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Dolomite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Dolomite is Glassy or Pearly. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Dolomite. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Dolomite is 3.5-4. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Dolomite are Boninite and Jasperoid. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basanite and Dolomite is white. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Dolomite 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.Basanite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Dolomite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.