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
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
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its occurrence in the Izu-Bonin arc south of Japan
From German which means hornstone
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Granular, Platy
Color
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
-
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
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Basalt
Biotite hornfels
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, High Mg content, Is one of the oldest rock
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
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. Hornfels 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
Andalusite
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Fe, Mg
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
3.4-3.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Africa
South Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Europe
England, Finland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Colombia, Uruguay
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Boninite vs Hornfels 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. Boninite vs Hornfels characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Boninite and Properties of Hornfels. Learn more about Boninite vs Hornfels in the next section. The interior uses of Boninite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Boninite and Hornfels, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Boninite in construction industry include 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 and that of Hornfels include For road aggregate, Roadstone.
More about Boninite and Hornfels
Here you can know more about Boninite and Hornfels. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Boninite and Hornfels consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Boninite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite and mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Boninite vs Hornfels, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Boninite is available in bluish - grey, brown, green, grey colors whereas, Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Boninite is Dull and Soft and that of Hornfels is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Boninite vs Hornfels. The hardness of Boninite is 7 and that of Hornfels is 2-3. The types of Boninite are Basalt whereas types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Boninite is white while that of Hornfels is . The specific heat capacity of Boninite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Hornfels 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.Boninite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.