Benmoreite and Borolanite

Benmoreite

Borolanite

Definition

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

Borolanite is a variety of Nepheline Syenite and belongs to igneous rocks and contains nepheline-alkali feldspar pseudomorphs which occur as conspicuous white spots in the dark rock matrix

History

Origin

Isle of Mull, Scotland

Scotland

Discoverer

Ben More

Unknown

Etymology

From the name of discoverer, Ben More

From Alkalic Igneous complex near Loch Borralan in northwest Scotland

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular

Granular

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Rough and Dull

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling

Cemetery Markers

Types

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

Not Available

Features

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

Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

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.

Borolanites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite

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

Regional Metamorphism

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

Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

5.5-6

Grain Size

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Conchoidal to Uneven

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Earthy

Greasy to Dull

Compressive Strength

37.40 N/mm²

150.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Perfect

Poor

Toughness

2.3

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.8-3

2.6

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.9-3.1 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K

Not Available

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Africa

South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Iceland

Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

Others

Not Yet Found

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Benmoreite and Borolanite Properties

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