Basanite

Nephelinite

Basanite and Nephelinite

Basanite

Nephelinite

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Definition

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).

History

Origin

Brazil

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin basanites + -ite

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Aphanitic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Skeletal

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Peralkaline Nephelinite

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Nephelinite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

Compound Content

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

76.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Flat

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Vitreous to Metallic

Compressive Strength

100.00 N/mm²35.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

2.7

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.4-2.9

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.5-3 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Japan

Africa

Uganda

Rwanda, Tanzania

Europe

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

Canada, USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Colombia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Basanite and Nephelinite Properties

Know all about Basanite and Nephelinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basanite and Nephelinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Nephelinite is Aphanitic. Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly and Nephelinite appears Skeletal. The luster of Basanite is waxy and dull while that of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic. Basanite and Nephelinite are available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white 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 Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).