Benmoreite and Amphibolite

Benmoreite

Amphibolite

Amphibolite and Benmoreite

Definition

An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series

Amphibolite can be defined as a granular metamorphic rock which mainly consist of hornblende and plagioclase

History

Origin

Isle of Mull, Scotland

Unknown

Discoverer

Ben More

Alexandre Brongniart

Etymology

From the name of discoverer, Ben More

From Amphibole + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular

Banded, Foliated, Massive

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Black, Brown, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Foliated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

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

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt

Hornblendite

Features

Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Benmoreite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.

Amphibolite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which forms by metamorphism of mafic igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro or from the metamorphism of clay-rich sedimentary rocks like marl or graywacke.

Composition

Mineral Content

Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase

Amphibole, Andalusite, Biotite, Calcite, Epidote, Garnet, Hornblade, Kyanite, Magnetite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Staurolite, Wollastonite

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular to Conchoidal

Streak

Black

White to Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²

Not Available

Cleavage

Perfect

Irregular

Toughness

2.3

Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.5

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³

2.85-3.07 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Russia, Turkey

Africa

South Africa

Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

Iceland

Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

South Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Benmoreite and Amphibolite Properties

Know all about Benmoreite and Amphibolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Benmoreite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Amphibolite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Benmoreite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular whereas that of Amphibolite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Benmoreite appears Rough and Dull and Amphibolite appears Foliated. The luster of Benmoreite is earthy while that of Amphibolite is vitreous to dull. Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Amphibolite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Benmoreite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling and that of Amphibolite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.