Definition
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Origin
Isle of Mull, Scotland
New Zealand
Discoverer
Ben More
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
From German which means hornstone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
Granular, Platy
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Dull
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
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
Biotite hornfels
Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase
Andalusite
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
South Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
Iceland
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
All about Benmoreite and Hornfels Properties
Know all about Benmoreite and Hornfels properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Benmoreite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Hornfels belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Benmoreite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular whereas that of Hornfels is Granular, Platy. Benmoreite appears Rough and Dull and Hornfels appears Dull. The luster of Benmoreite is earthy while that of Hornfels is shiny. Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. The commercial uses of Benmoreite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, curling and that of Hornfels are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.