Definition
An iron rich extrusive rock found as a member of the alkali basalt magma series
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
Origin
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Finland, Europe
Discoverer
Ben More
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of discoverer, Ben More
From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Trachytic, Vesicular
Earthy, Granular
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Dull
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
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
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt
Alkaline rock
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, Is one of the oldest rock
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.
Ijolite 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
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
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical 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
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Greasy to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.6-2.76
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Iceland
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Benmoreite vs Ijolite 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. Benmoreite vs Ijolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Benmoreite and Properties of Ijolite. Learn more about Benmoreite vs Ijolite in the next section. The interior uses of Benmoreite include Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Ijolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Benmoreite and Ijolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Benmoreite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone and that of Ijolite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Benmoreite and Ijolite
Here you can know more about Benmoreite and Ijolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Benmoreite and Ijolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Benmoreite includes Alkali feldspar, Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodic plagioclase and mineral content of Ijolite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Benmoreite vs Ijolite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Benmoreite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas, Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Benmoreite is Rough and Dull and that of Ijolite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Benmoreite vs Ijolite. The hardness of Benmoreite is 6 and that of Ijolite is 5.5-6. The types of Benmoreite are Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) and Tholeiitic Basalt whereas types of Ijolite are Alkaline rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Benmoreite is black while that of Ijolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Benmoreite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Ijolite 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.Benmoreite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Ijolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.