Definition
Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone
Trachyte is a grey fine-grained volcanic rock which mainly consists of alkali feldspar
Discoverer
Unknown
Alexandre Brongniart and René Just Haüy
Etymology
From Latin basanites + -ite
From Greek trakhus rough’ or trakhutēs roughness
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
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
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite
Felsic volcanic rock
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.
Trachyte is an igneous volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. It is the volcanic equivalent of syenite rock and forms as a result of magmatic differentiation.
Mineral Content
Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase
Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz
Compound Content
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
-
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Metallic
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.7
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.43-2.45 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Uganda
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Brazil, Chile
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Basanite vs Trachyte 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 Trachyte characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Basanite and Properties of Trachyte. Learn more about Basanite vs Trachyte in the next section. The interior uses of Basanite include Decorative aggregates and Homes whereas the interior uses of Trachyte include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Basanite and Trachyte, 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 Trachyte include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Basanite and Trachyte
Here you can know more about Basanite and Trachyte. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Basanite and Trachyte consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Basanite includes Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase and mineral content of Trachyte includes Augite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Basanite vs Trachyte, 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, Trachyte is available in black, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Basanite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Trachyte is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Basanite vs Trachyte. The hardness of Basanite is 7 and that of Trachyte is 6. The types of Basanite are Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite whereas types of Trachyte are Felsic volcanic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Basanite and Trachyte is white. The specific heat capacity of Basanite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Trachyte is 0.84 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 Trachyte is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.