Basanite

Tephrite

Basanite and Tephrite

Basanite

Tephrite

Add ⊕

Definition

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

Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock

History

Origin

Germany

Discoverer

Unknown

Van Tooren

Etymology

From Latin basanites + -ite

From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

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

Vesicular

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, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Whetstones

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Landscaping

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments

Artifacts, 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

Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner

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

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.

Tephrite 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

Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

76.5

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Uneven

Streak

White

Bluish Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Waxy and Dull

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

100.00 N/mm²90.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Crenulation and Pervasive

Toughness

1.5

2.4

Specific Gravity

2.5-2.82.86

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.7 g/cm³2.8-2.9 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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Africa

Uganda

Namibia, Uganda

Europe

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

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

New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Basanite and Tephrite Properties

Know all about Basanite and Tephrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Basanite and Tephrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Tephrite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly and Tephrite appears Vesicular. The luster of Basanite is waxy and dull while that of Tephrite is subvitreous to dull. Basanite and Tephrite 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 Tephrite are production of lime, soil conditioner.