Definition
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Mugearite is a type of oligoclase bearing basalt, also comprising of olivine, apatite, and opaque oxides
Origin
Tanzania
Skye, Scotland
Discoverer
Unknown
Alfred Harker
Etymology
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
From mugear + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous 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
Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
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, Unknown, Unknown
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Mugearite forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Applicable
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
India, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Iceland
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Not Yet Found
All about Carbonatite and Mugearite Properties
Know all about Carbonatite and Mugearite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Carbonatite and Mugearite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Carbonatite is Granular, Poikiloblastic whereas that of Mugearite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Carbonatite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Mugearite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Carbonatite is subvitreous to dull while that of Mugearite is not available. Carbonatite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Mugearite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Carbonatite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux and that of Mugearite are creating artwork.