Definition
Charnockite is a variety of granite containing minerals like orthopyroxene, quartz, and feldspar
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
Origin
Tamil Nadu, India
Unknown
Discoverer
T. H. Holland
Unknown
Etymology
From Job Charnock, an administtrator of East India Company
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Resorts
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Enderbite
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Charnockite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard and is formed due to weathering of existing 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
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
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, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
Not Available
3.2-3.5
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
East Africa, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique
South Africa
Europe
Albania, Romania, Scotland, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
All about Charnockite and Pyroxenite Properties
Know all about Charnockite and Pyroxenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Charnockite and Pyroxenite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Charnockite is Granular whereas that of Pyroxenite is Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic. Charnockite appears Veined or Pebbled and Pyroxenite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Charnockite is not available while that of Pyroxenite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Charnockite is available in black, grey, orange, 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 Charnockite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones and that of Pyroxenite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.