Diabase

Novaculite

Diabase and Novaculite

Diabase

Novaculite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar

Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Germany

Unknown

1.2.2 Discoverer

Christian Leopold von Buch

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

From Greek di + base

From Latin word novacula, for razor stone

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Volcanic

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Aphanitic, Granular

Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous

2.2 Color

Dark Grey to Black

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Vesicular

Glassy or Pearly

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

4.2 Features

Smooth to touch

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

Present

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine

Quartz, Silicon

5.2.2 Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Ca, Silicon Dioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Not Applicable

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Not Applicable

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Fine to Medium Grained

Fine Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

Black

Colorless

6.1.5 Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Not Available

Waxy and Dull

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²450.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

Non-Existent

6.1.9 Toughness

1.6

1.5

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.86-2.872.5-2.7

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.7-3.3 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NA0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

India

China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

7.1.2 Africa

South Africa, Tanzania

Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania

7.1.3 Europe

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

7.1.4 Others

Antarctica, Greenland

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Mexico, USA

7.2.2 South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Bolivia, Brazil

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Diabase and Novaculite Properties

Know all about Diabase and Novaculite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diabase belongs to Igneous Rocks while Novaculite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular whereas that of Novaculite is Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous. Diabase appears Vesicular and Novaculite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Diabase is not available while that of Novaculite is waxy and dull. Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white 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 Novaculite are cemetery markers, gemstone, in aquifers, in fire-starting tools, jewelry, manufacture of tools, pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, to determine the gold content of jewelry.