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Diatomite and Wehrlite


Wehrlite and Diatomite


Definition

Definition
Diatomite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock which is formed from consolidated diatomaceous earth   
Wehrlite is an ultramafic and ultrabasic rock that is a mixture of olivine and clinopyroxene. It is a subdivision of the peridotites   

History
  
  

Origin
Germany   
Egypt   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Alois Wehrle   

Etymology
From diatom + -ite1   
From the name of a professor, Alois Wehrle   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Clastic or Non-Clastic   
Banded   

Color
Grey, White, Yellow   
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Non-Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
No   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Soft   
Rough and Banded   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

Exterior Uses
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
NA   

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   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Not Available   

Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock   
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
Wehrlite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand   
Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
No   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   

Erosion
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Very fine-grained   
Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Irregular   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Highly Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull   
Metallic   

Cleavage
Non-Existent   
Perfect   

Toughness
1   
2.1   

Specific Gravity
2.3-2.4   
8.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.49-2.51 g/cm3   
2.6-3.7 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.90 kJ/Kg K   
12
0.63 kJ/Kg K   
21

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam   
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   

Africa
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe   
Morocco, South Africa   

Europe
England, France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom   
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Colombia   
Brazil   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Tonga, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula   
New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Diatomite and Wehrlite Properties

Know all about Diatomite and Wehrlite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diatomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Wehrlite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diatomite is Clastic or Non-Clastic whereas that of Wehrlite is Banded. Diatomite appears Soft and Wehrlite appears Rough and Banded. The luster of Diatomite is dull while that of Wehrlite is metallic. Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green 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 Wehrlite are cemetery markers, creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.

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