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Diabase and Tachylite


Tachylite and Diabase


Definition

Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar   
Tachylite is a vitreous form of basaltic volcanic glass. This glass is formed naturally by the rapid cooling of molten basalt   

History
  
  

Origin
Germany   
Iceland   

Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch   
Unknown   

Etymology
From Greek di + base   
From German Tachylite, from tachy- + Greek lutos soluble, melting   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
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   
Vitreous   

Color
Dark Grey to Black   
Black, Dark Brown   

Maintenance
Less   
More   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Appearance
Vesicular   
Glassy   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

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

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
Cutting Tool, Knives, Landscaping, Scrapers   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Smooth to touch   
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, NA   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet 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.   
Tachylite 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   
Feldspar, Olivine   

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

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

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

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, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
7   
5.5   

Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Black   
Vermilion   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Not Available   
Resinous   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
206.00 N/mm2   
8

Cleavage
Not Available   
Not Available   

Toughness
1.6   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87   
2.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3   
3.058 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.56 kJ/Kg K   
22

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India   
Cambodia, Russia, South Korea   

Africa
South Africa, Tanzania   
East Africa   

Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey   
England, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden   

Others
Antarctica, Greenland   
Hawaii Islands   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
USA   

South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

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

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Diabase and Tachylite Properties

Know all about Diabase and Tachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diabase and Tachylite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular whereas that of Tachylite is Vitreous. Diabase appears Vesicular and Tachylite appears Glassy. The luster of Diabase is not available while that of Tachylite is resinous. Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Tachylite is available in black, dark brown 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 Tachylite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.

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