Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds
Discoverer
Unknown
John Peter Salley
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
-
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
-
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
-
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
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
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Coal forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment which is buried by sediments such as mud or sand and then compacted to form coal.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Analcime, Apatite, Barite, Calcite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorite, Chromite, Clausthalite, Clay Minerals, Crandallite Group, Dolomite, Feldspar, Galena, Gypsum, Marcasite, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Siderite, Sphalerite, Zircon
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional 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
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
1100-1400 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Uganda
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
All about Basanite and Coal Properties
Know all about Basanite and Coal properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basanite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Coal belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Coal is Amorphous, Glassy. Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly and Coal appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Basanite is waxy and dull while that of Coal is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Coal is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms and that of Coal are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.