Definition
Diamictite is a sedimentary rock that consists of non-sorted to poorly sorted terrigenous sediment containing particles that range in size from clay to boulders, suspended in a matrix of mudstone or sandstone
Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of Earth
Origin
Southern Mongolia
Egypt
Discoverer
Unknown
Georgius Agricola
Etymology
From Greek dia through and meiktós or mixed
From Late Latin Basaltes (variant of basanites ), very hard stone, which was imported from Ancient Greek Basanites
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Brown, Buff
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing, Whetstones
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Cutting Tool, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Production of Lime
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Used in aquariums
Types
Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
-
Easter Island in the Polynesian Triangle, Pacific Ocean, Gateway of India in Mumbai, India, Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka, India
Formation
Diamictite is unevenly sorted terrigenous, non-calcareous sedimentary rock which forms due to weathering of mudstone and sandstone.
Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface near an active volcano. The temperature of lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
-
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
-
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Conchoidal
Streak
Light to dark brown
White to Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
-
Specific Gravity
4.3-5.0
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.2-2.35 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia
India, Russia
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Iceland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
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All about Diamictite and Basalt Properties
Know all about Diamictite and Basalt properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diamictite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Basalt belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diamictite is Clastic whereas that of Basalt is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular. Diamictite appears Banded and Basalt appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Diamictite is grainy, pearly and vitreous while that of Basalt is . Diamictite is available in brown, buff colors whereas Basalt is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Diamictite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork, production of lime and that of Basalt are an oil and gas reservoir, commemorative tablets, creating artwork, used in aquariums.