Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
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
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Peralkaline Nephelinite
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
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
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.
Nephelinite 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
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
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
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Flat
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Vitreous to Metallic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Imperfect
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Uganda
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Not Yet Found
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Hawaii Islands
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
Not Yet Found
Basanite vs Nephelinite 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 Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Basanite vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Nephelinite, 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 Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Basanite and Nephelinite
Here you can know more about Basanite and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Nephelinite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Nephelinite, 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, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basanite and Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 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 Nephelinite is heat resistant.