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Diabase and Hornblendite


Hornblendite and Diabase


Definition

Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar   
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock   

History
  
  

Origin
Germany   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Greek di + base   
From German, Horn horn + blende   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Plutonic   

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

Texture

Texture
Aphanitic, Granular   
Banded, Foliated, Massive   

Color
Dark Grey to Black   
Black, Brown, Green, Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
No   

Appearance
Vesicular   
Foliated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones   
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite   

Features
Smooth to touch   
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Not Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

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.   
Hornblendite 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.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine   
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
6-7   

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained   
Medium to Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Irregular to Conchoidal   

Streak
Black   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Not Available   
Vitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
Not Available   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Irregular   

Toughness
1.6   
2.3   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.5   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3   
2.85-3.07 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India   
Russia, Turkey   

Africa
South Africa, Tanzania   
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland   

Others
Antarctica, Greenland   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Diabase and Hornblendite Properties

Know all about Diabase and Hornblendite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diabase and Hornblendite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular whereas that of Hornblendite is Banded, Foliated, Massive. Diabase appears Vesicular and Hornblendite appears Foliated. The luster of Diabase is not available while that of Hornblendite is vitreous to dull. Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Hornblendite is available in black, brown, green, 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 Hornblendite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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