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Dacite and Porphyry


Porphyry and Dacite


Definition

Definition
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite   
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix   

History
  
  

Origin
Romania and Moldova, Europe   
Egypt   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Dacia, a province of the Roman Empire which lay between the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains where the rock was first described   
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   
Porphyritic   

Color
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
No   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Vesicular   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration   
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping   
Construction Aggregate   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry   

Types

Types
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite   
Rhomb Porphyry   

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock   
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Dacitic magma is formed by the subduction of young oceanic crust under a thick felsic continental plate. Further, the Oceanic crust is hydrothermally altered as quartz and sodium are added.   
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon   
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica   

Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Not Registered   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
2-2.25   
6-7   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Subvitreous to Dull   
Dull   

Cleavage
Perfect   
Imperfect   

Toughness
Not Available   
1.7   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.5-4   

Transparency
Translucent   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.77-2.771 g/cm3   
2.5-2.52 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam   

Africa
Not Yet Found   
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa   

Europe
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain   
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia   
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
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All about Dacite and Porphyry Properties

Know all about Dacite and Porphyry properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dacite and Porphyry belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dacite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic whereas that of Porphyry is Porphyritic. Dacite appears Vesicular and Porphyry appears Dull. The luster of Dacite is subvitreous to dull while that of Porphyry is dull. Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas Porphyry is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, red, rust, white colors. The commercial uses of Dacite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork and that of Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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