Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek di + base
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Granular
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Vesicular
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Dolerite
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
-
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.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
-
Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.62-2.82
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.7-4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
-
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
Diabase vs Anorthosite 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. Diabase vs Anorthosite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diabase and Properties of Anorthosite. Learn more about Diabase vs Anorthosite in the next section. The interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Anorthosite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diabase and Anorthosite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Diabase in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Anorthosite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate.
More about Diabase and Anorthosite
Here you can know more about Diabase and Anorthosite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diabase and Anorthosite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine and mineral content of Anorthosite includes Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diabase vs Anorthosite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Diabase is Vesicular and that of Anorthosite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diabase vs Anorthosite. The hardness of Diabase is 7 and that of Anorthosite is 5-6. The types of Diabase are Dolerite whereas types of Anorthosite are Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Diabase is black while that of Anorthosite is white. The specific heat capacity of Diabase is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Anorthosite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Anorthosite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.