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
  
History
  
  
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
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Plutonic
  
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
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
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
  
Industry
  
  
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
  
Other Uses
  
  
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
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
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
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
7
  
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
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India
  
India, Russia
  
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
  
Charnockite vs Pyroxenite 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. Charnockite vs Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Charnockite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Charnockite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Charnockite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Charnockite and Pyroxenite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Charnockite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Charnockite and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Charnockite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Charnockite and Pyroxenite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Charnockite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Charnockite vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. 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. Appearance of Charnockite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Charnockite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Charnockite is 6-7 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Charnockite are Enderbite whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Charnockite is white while that of Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Charnockite is Not Available and that of Pyroxenite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Charnockite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.