Diatomite

Diabase

Diatomite and Diabase

Diatomite

Diabase

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Definition

Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth

Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar

History

Origin

Germany

Discoverer

Unknown

Christian Leopold von Buch

Etymology

From diatom + -ite1

From Greek di + base

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Volcanic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Aphanitic, Granular

Color

Grey, White, Yellow

Dark Grey to Black

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Non-Durable

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Soft

Vesicular

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Alumina Refineries, Animal feed filler, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Creating Artwork, Drawing on blackboards, Fire resistant, Gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, In aquifers, Soil Conditioner, To ignite fire, Used as a filter medium, Used as an insecticide, Whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Types

Diatomite

Dolerite

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock

Smooth to touch

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

Diatomite rock formed from the skeletal remains of single celled plants called diatoms. When diatoms die, their skeletal remains sink to the bottom of lakes and oceans etc. hence forming diatomite deposit.

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.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand

Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine

Compound Content

Ca, NaCl, CaO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Fine to Medium Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Black

Porosity

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull

Compressive Strength

-225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

1.6

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.42.86-2.87

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.49-2.51 g/cm³2.7-3.3 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.90 kJ/Kg K0.84 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

India

Africa

Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe

South Africa, Tanzania

Europe

England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Others

Antarctica, Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

All about Diatomite and Diabase Properties

Know all about Diatomite and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diatomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Diabase belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diatomite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Diatomite appears Soft and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Diatomite is dull while that of Diabase is . Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Diatomite are alumina refineries, animal feed filler, as a feed additive for livestock, creating artwork, drawing on blackboards, fire resistant, gymnasts, athletes and mountain climbers use for grip, in aquifers, soil conditioner, to ignite fire, used as a filter medium, used as an insecticide, whiting material in toothpaste, paint and paper and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.