Definition
Boninite is a mafic extrusive rock which is high in magnesium and silica content, formed in fore-arc environments, typically during the early stages of subduction
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its occurrence in the Izu-Bonin arc south of Japan
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Quench
Color
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used
Curbing
Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, High Mg content, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Boninite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or existing rocks.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
1.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
Not Available
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Not Available
South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
England, Finland, United Kingdom
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Colombia, Uruguay
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Boninite and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Boninite and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Boninite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Boninite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Boninite appears Dull and Soft and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Boninite and Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Boninite is available in bluish - grey, brown, colourless, green, grey colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Boninite are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.