Basanite

Shonkinite

Basanite and Shonkinite

Basanite

Shonkinite

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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

Shonkinite is a rare, dark-coloured and intrusive igneous rock which contains augite and orthoclase feldspar as its primary constituents

History

Origin

USA

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin basanites + -ite

From the name of Shonkin Sag ranges in the Highwood Mountains of north-central Montana, US

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

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

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, 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, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

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

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Igneous rock

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

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.

Shonkinites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Composition

Mineral Content

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

75.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

100.00 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.6-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.74 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Uganda

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Brazil, Chile

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Basanite and Shonkinite Properties

Know all about Basanite and Shonkinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basanite and Shonkinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Shonkinite is Earthy. Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly and Shonkinite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Basanite is waxy and dull while that of Shonkinite is subvitreous to dull. Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas Shonkinite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, 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 Shonkinite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.