Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth
History
Origin
-
Germany
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From diatom + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
-
-
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Grey, White, Yellow
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Non-Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Soft
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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, Source of calcium
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts
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
Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Diatomite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
Fossils
Absent
Present
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.
Composition
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, NaCl, CaO
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Wind Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
71
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
-
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Dull
Compressive Strength
100.00 N/mm2-
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
-
Toughness
1.5
1
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.82.3-2.4
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm32.49-2.51 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.74 kJ/Kg K0.90 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Uganda
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
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
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula