Home
Compare Rocks


Diabase and Anthracite


Anthracite and Diabase


Definition

Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar  
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster  

History
  
  

Origin
Germany  
Pennsylvania, U.S.  

Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch  
Unknown  

Etymology
From Greek di + base  
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal  

Class
Igneous Rocks  
Metamorphic Rocks  

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic  
-  

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

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic, Granular  
Amorphous, Glassy  

Color
Dark Grey to Black  
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey  

Maintenance
Less  
Less  

Durability
Durable  
Durable  

Water Resistant
Yes  
No  

Scratch Resistant
Yes  
No  

Stain Resistant
Yes  
No  

Wind Resistant
Yes  
No  

Acid Resistant
Yes  
No  

Appearance
Vesicular  
Veined or Pebbled  

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens  
-  

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings  
-  

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing  
-  

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate  
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production  

Medical Industry
-  
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins  

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines  
-  

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones  
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry  

Types

Types
Dolerite  
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite  

Features
Smooth to touch  
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel  

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

Formation
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.  
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine  
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals  

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide  
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur  

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes  
Yes  

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

Weathering
Yes  
No  

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering  
-  

Erosion
Yes  
No  

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion  
-  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7  
1-1.5  

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained  

Fracture
Conchoidal  
Conchoidal  

Streak
Black  
Black  

Porosity
Highly Porous  
Less Porous  

Luster
-  
Shiny  

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2  
8
-  

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
1.6  
-  

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87  
1.1-1.4  

Transparency
Opaque  
Opaque  

Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3  
1.25-2.5 g/cm3  

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15
1.32 kJ/Kg K  
4

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India  
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam  

Africa
South Africa, Tanzania  
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania  

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom  

Others
Antarctica, Greenland  
-  

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA  
Canada, Mexico, USA  

South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela  
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela  

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia  
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria  

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Diabase and Anthracite Properties

Know all about Diabase and Anthracite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diabase belongs to Igneous Rocks while Anthracite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular whereas that of Anthracite is Amorphous, Glassy. Diabase appears Vesicular and Anthracite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Diabase is while that of Anthracite is shiny. Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Anthracite are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.

Compare Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Igneous Rocks

» More Igneous Rocks

Compare Igneous Rocks

» More Compare Igneous Rocks