Definition
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Origin
Romania and Moldova, Europe
Brazil
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 French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Aphanitic
Color
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Vesicular
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
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
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.
Nephelinite 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
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
Compound Content
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Subvitreous to Dull
Vitreous to Metallic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Perfect
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.7
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Translucent
Opaque
Density
2.77-2.771 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
Not Yet Found
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain
Not Yet Found
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Dacite vs Nephelinite 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. Dacite vs Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dacite and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Dacite vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Dacite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dacite and Nephelinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Dacite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping and that of Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Dacite and Nephelinite
Here you can know more about Dacite and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dacite and Nephelinite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon and mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all . When we have to compare Dacite vs Nephelinite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Dacite is Vesicular and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dacite vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Dacite is 2-2.25 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Dacite are Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dacite and Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Dacite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Dacite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Nephelinite is heat resistant.