Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From French mine ore, mine + ette
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
-
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, 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
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact 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, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Uganda
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Basanite vs Minette 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 Minette characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Minette. Learn more about Basanite vs Minette in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Minette include Countertops, Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Minette, 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 Minette include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Basanite and Minette
Here you can know more about Basanite and Minette. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Minette consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Minette includes Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Minette, 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, Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Minette is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Minette. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Minette is 5-6. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Minette are Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basanite and Minette is white. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Minette is 0.79 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 Minette is heat resistant, impact resistant.