Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Phyllite is a fine-grained metamorphic rock with a well-developed laminar structure, and is intermediate between slate and schist rocks
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek di + base
From Greek phullon leaf + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Granular
Phyllitic Sheen, Slaty
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black to Grey, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Vesicular
Crinkled or Wavy
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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Writing Slates
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Smooth to touch
Easily splits into thin plates, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
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.
Phyllite is a metamorphic rock which is formed by regional metamorphism of argillaceous sediments since their cleavage arose due to deviatoric stress.
Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Not Applicable
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, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Not Available
Phyllitic
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Crenulation and Pervasive
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.72-2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.18-3.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland
Diabase vs Phyllite 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 Phyllite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diabase and Properties of Phyllite. Learn more about Diabase vs Phyllite in the next section. The interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Phyllite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diabase and Phyllite, 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 Phyllite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Roadstone.
More about Diabase and Phyllite
Here you can know more about Diabase and Phyllite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diabase and Phyllite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine and mineral content of Phyllite includes Albite, Alusite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Hornblade, Kyanite, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Porphyroblasts, Quartz, Sillimanite, Staurolite, Talc, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diabase vs Phyllite, 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, Phyllite is available in black to grey, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Diabase is Vesicular and that of Phyllite is Crinkled or Wavy. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diabase vs Phyllite. The hardness of Diabase is 7 and that of Phyllite is 1-2. The types of Diabase are Not Available whereas types of Phyllite 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 Phyllite is white. The specific heat capacity of Diabase is Not Available and that of Phyllite 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 Phyllite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.