Diatomite

Wehrlite

Diatomite vs Wehrlite

Diatomite

Wehrlite

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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

Plutonic

Other Categories

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Clastic or Non-Clastic

Banded

Color

Grey, White, Yellow

Dark Greenish - Grey, Green

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Non-Durable

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

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

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

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

Diatomite

Ultramafic rock

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

Famous Monuments

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.

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

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

15.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Very fine-grained

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Dull

Metallic

Compressive Strength

-100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.3-2.48.4

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.49-2.51 g/cm³2.6-3.7 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.90 kJ/Kg K0.63 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Colombia

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula

New Zealand, Western Australia

Diatomite vs Wehrlite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Diatomite and Wehrlite Reserves. 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. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Diatomite vs Wehrlite information and Diatomite vs Wehrlite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Diatomite vs Wehrlite 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. Diatomite vs Wehrlite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diatomite and Properties of Wehrlite. Learn more about Diatomite vs Wehrlite in the next section. The interior uses of Diatomite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wehrlite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diatomite and Wehrlite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Diatomite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Source of calcium and that of Wehrlite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones.

More about Diatomite and Wehrlite

Here you can know more about Diatomite and Wehrlite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diatomite and Wehrlite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diatomite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Quartz, Sand and mineral content of Wehrlite includes Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Diatomite vs Wehrlite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Diatomite is available in grey, white, yellow colors whereas, Wehrlite is available in dark greenish - grey, green colors. Appearance of Diatomite is Soft and that of Wehrlite is Rough and Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diatomite vs Wehrlite. The hardness of Diatomite is 1 and that of Wehrlite is 5.5-6. The types of Diatomite are Diatomite whereas types of Wehrlite are Ultramafic rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Diatomite and Wehrlite is white. The specific heat capacity of Diatomite is 0.90 kJ/Kg K and that of Wehrlite is 0.63 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Diatomite is heat resistant whereas Wehrlite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.