Definition
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek di + base
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
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
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic, Granular
Porphyritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Vesicular
Dull
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
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Construction Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Dolerite
Rhomb Porphyry
Features
Smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
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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.
Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.
Mineral Content
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine to Medium Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.5-4
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.5-2.52 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India
China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
Others
Antarctica, Greenland
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Diabase vs Porphyry 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 Porphyry characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diabase and Properties of Porphyry. Learn more about Diabase vs Porphyry in the next section. The interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Porphyry include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diabase and Porphyry, 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 Porphyry include Construction aggregate.
More about Diabase and Porphyry
Here you can know more about Diabase and Porphyry. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diabase and Porphyry consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine and mineral content of Porphyry includes Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diabase vs Porphyry, 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, Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, white colors. Appearance of Diabase is Vesicular and that of Porphyry is Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diabase vs Porphyry. The hardness of Diabase is 7 and that of Porphyry is 6-7. The types of Diabase are Dolerite whereas types of Porphyry are Rhomb Porphyry. 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 Porphyry is white. The specific heat capacity of Diabase is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Porphyry is 0.71 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 Porphyry is heat resistant, impact resistant.