Definition
Comendite is a hard, peralkaline igneous rock, a type of light blue grey rhyolite
Litchfieldite is a rare igneous rock which is coarse-grained, foliated and a variety of nepheline syenite, sometimes also called as nepheline syenite gneiss or gneissic nepeheline syenite
Discoverer
Unknown
Bayley
Etymology
Comendite derives its name from the area of Le Commende on San Pietro Island in Italy
From its occurrence at Litchfield, Maine, USA
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Porphyritic
Granular
Color
Blue, Bluish - Grey
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers
Creating Artwork
Types
Rhyolite
Borolanite and Litchfieldite
Features
Very fine grained rock, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Comendite is a type of Igneous rock which is formed due to cooling and solidification of lava or magma. It may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Litchfieldite 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
Albite, Amphibole, Quartz
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
Al, Fe, Potassium Oxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Pervasive
Conchoidal to Uneven
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Greasy to Dull
Specific Gravity
2.38
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
-9999 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
East Africa
South Africa
Europe
Italy
Finland, Norway, Portugal
Deposits in Western Continents
Deposits in Oceania Continent