Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Diamictite is a sedimentary rock that consists of non-sorted to poorly sorted terrigenous sediment containing particles that range in size from clay to boulders, suspended in a matrix of mudstone or sandstone
Origin
-
Southern Mongolia
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From Greek dia through and meiktós or mixed
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, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Brown, Buff
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
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
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Production of Lime
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite
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, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Diamictite is unevenly sorted terrigenous, non-calcareous sedimentary rock which forms due to weathering of mudstone and sandstone.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
-
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
4.3-5.0
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.2-2.35 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia
Africa
Uganda
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Basanite vs Diamictite 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 Diamictite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Diamictite. Learn more about Basanite vs Diamictite in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Diamictite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Diamictite, 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 Diamictite include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone.
More about Basanite and Diamictite
Here you can know more about Basanite and Diamictite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Diamictite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Diamictite includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Diamictite, 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, Diamictite is available in brown, buff colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Diamictite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Diamictite. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Diamictite is 2-3. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Diamictite are Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basanite is white while that of Diamictite is light to dark brown. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Diamictite is 0.75 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 Diamictite is heat resistant, impact resistant.