Definition
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Jadeitite is a metamorphic rock usually found in blueschist grade metamorphic terrains
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
From pyroxene mineral jadeite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
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, Cutting Tool, Knives
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
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Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Jewelry
Types
Carbonatite
Metamorphic rock
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks which are defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals and are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Jadeitite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
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Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia