Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek di + base
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Granular
Phaneritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Vesicular
Shiny
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
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, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, 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
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Smooth to touch
Typically speckled black and white.
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
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.
Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.
Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Streak
Black
Bluish Black
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Shiny
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.8-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Diabase vs Diorite 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 Diorite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diabase and Properties of Diorite. Learn more about Diabase vs Diorite in the next section. The interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diabase and Diorite, 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 Diorite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Diabase and Diorite
Here you can know more about Diabase and Diorite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diabase and Diorite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine and mineral content of Diorite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diabase vs Diorite, 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, Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Diabase is Vesicular and that of Diorite is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diabase vs Diorite. The hardness of Diabase is 7 and that of Diorite is 6-7. The types of Diabase are Not Available whereas types of Diorite are Not Available. 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 Diorite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Diabase is Not Available and that of Diorite is Not Available. 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 Diorite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.