Definition
Conglomerate is a sedimentary rock which forms from rounded gravel and boulder sized clasts which are cemented together in a matrix
Kimberlite is a rare, blue-tinged, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, which sometimes contains diamonds and is mostly found in South Africa and Siberia.
Origin
Italy
Kimberley, South Africa
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
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 Kimberley + -ite, from the name of the South African town of Kimberley where the rock was first found.
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Porphyritic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Buff, Light to Dark Grey, Orange, Rust, White, Yellow
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Shiny and Rounded
Dull and Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
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
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, In aquifers, Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Basaltic Kimberlites and Micaceous Kimberlites
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable
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
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Conglomerate forms where sediments consisting mainly of pebble and cobble-size clasts at least two millimeters in diameter starts accumulating.
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.
Mineral Content
Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt
Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
NaCl, CaO
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Not Applicable
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Conchoidal
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.88
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
1.7-2.3 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
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
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
Conglomerate 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. Conglomerate vs Kimberlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Conglomerate and Properties of Kimberlite. Learn more about Conglomerate vs Kimberlite in the next section. The interior uses of Conglomerate include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles and Homes whereas the interior uses of Kimberlite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Conglomerate and Kimberlite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Conglomerate in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Roadstone 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 Conglomerate and Kimberlite
Here you can know more about Conglomerate and Kimberlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Conglomerate and Kimberlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Conglomerate includes Clay, Sand, Silica, Silt and mineral content of Kimberlite includes Garnet, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Conglomerate vs Kimberlite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Conglomerate is available in beige, black, brown, buff, light to dark grey, orange, rust, white, yellow colors whereas, Kimberlite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. Appearance of Conglomerate is Shiny and Rounded and that of Kimberlite is Dull and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Conglomerate vs Kimberlite. The hardness of Conglomerate is 2-3 and that of Kimberlite is 6-7. The types of Conglomerate are Not Available 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 Conglomerate and Kimberlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Conglomerate is 0.92 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.Conglomerate is heat resistant whereas Kimberlite is heat resistant, impact resistant.