Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From German, Horn horn + blende
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Foliated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
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, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
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, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Hornblendite 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.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Irregular to Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Irregular
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.5
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Yet Found
Russia, Turkey
Africa
Uganda
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Basanite vs Hornblendite 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 Hornblendite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Hornblendite. Learn more about Basanite vs Hornblendite in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Hornblendite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Hornblendite, 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 Hornblendite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone.
More about Basanite and Hornblendite
Here you can know more about Basanite and Hornblendite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Hornblendite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Hornblendite includes Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Hornblendite, 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, Hornblendite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Hornblendite is Foliated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Hornblendite. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Hornblendite is 6-7. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Hornblendite are Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite. 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 Hornblendite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornblendite is Not Available. 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 Hornblendite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.