Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
Discoverer
Unknown
Patrick Marshall
Etymology
From Latin conglomeratus, to roll together, i.e. from com together + glomerare to gather into a ball, from glomus (genitive glomeris) a ball
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Aphanitic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Ca, NaCl
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull
Vitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
1-1.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
South America
Brazil
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
Central Australia, Western Australia