Definition
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing 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, Unknown, Unknown
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Not Yet 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.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Impact 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
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New Zealand, Queensland
All about Carbonatite and Pyroxenite Properties
Know all about Carbonatite and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Carbonatite and Pyroxenite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Carbonatite is Granular, Poikiloblastic whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Carbonatite appears Dull, Banded and Foilated and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Carbonatite is subvitreous to dull while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Carbonatite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish 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 Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.