Carbonatite

Kimberlite

Carbonatite vs Kimberlite

Carbonatite

Kimberlite

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Definition

Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals

Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.

History

Origin

Tanzania

Kimberley, South Africa

Discoverer

Unknown

John W. Judd

Etymology

From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals

From Kimberley +‎ -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Poikiloblastic

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Dull, Banded and Foilated

Dull and Banded

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

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

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

Carbonatite

Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites

Features

Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

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.

Kimberlite is an igneous rock and is the main source of diamonds. Its formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface between 150 to 450 kilometres, and are erupted rapidly and violently.

Composition

Mineral Content

Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite

Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene

Compound Content

CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide

Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

36-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine to Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Very Less Porous

Luster

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

75.00 N/mm²260.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Conchoidal

Toughness

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.86-2.87

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.84-2.86 g/cm³2.95-2.96 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.51 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan

Russia

Africa

Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa

Europe

Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom

Others

Greenland

Antarctica

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil

Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand

New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia

Carbonatite vs Kimberlite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Carbonatite and Kimberlite Reserves. Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals. Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Carbonatite vs Kimberlite information and Carbonatite vs Kimberlite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Carbonatite vs Kimberlite 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. Carbonatite vs Kimberlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Carbonatite and Properties of Kimberlite. Learn more about Carbonatite vs Kimberlite in the next section. The interior uses of Carbonatite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Kimberlite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Carbonatite and Kimberlite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Carbonatite 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 Kimberlite 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.

More about Carbonatite and Kimberlite

Here you can know more about Carbonatite and Kimberlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Carbonatite and Kimberlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Carbonatite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite and mineral content of Kimberlite includes Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Carbonatite vs Kimberlite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Carbonatite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Carbonatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated and that of Kimberlite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Carbonatite vs Kimberlite. The hardness of Carbonatite is 3 and that of Kimberlite is 6-7. The types of Carbonatite are Carbonatite whereas types of Kimberlite are Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Carbonatite and Kimberlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Carbonatite is 0.51 kJ/Kg K and that of Kimberlite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Carbonatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant whereas Kimberlite is heat resistant, impact resistant.