Definition
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Tephrite is an aphanitic to porphyritic textured, volcanic igneous rock
Discoverer
Unknown
Van Tooren
Etymology
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
From Greek tephra, ashes from Indo-European base, to burn
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, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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
Landscaping
Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Types
Carbonatite
Igneous 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.
Tephrite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Alkali feldspar, Nepheline, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
Bluish Black
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
-
Crenulation and Pervasive
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
-
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Namibia, Uganda
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New Zealand, Western Australia