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Diorite and Dacite


Dacite and Diorite


Definition

Definition
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene   
Dacite is a volcanic igneous rock which is rintermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
Romania and Moldova, Europe   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish   
From Dacia, a province of the Roman Empire which lay between the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains where the rock was first described   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Aphanitic to Porphyritic   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White   
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
No   

Scratch Resistant
No   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Shiny   
Vesicular   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate   
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling   
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite   

Features
Typically speckled black and white.   
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Diorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock which contains large interlocking and randomly oriented crystals and forms when molten lava does not reach the Earth’s surface and cools down in the Earth’s crust.   
Dacitic magma is formed by the subduction of young oceanic crust under a thick felsic continental plate. Further, the Oceanic crust is hydrothermally altered as quartz and sodium are added.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon   
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon   

Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide   
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Water Erosion   
Chemical Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7   
2-2.25   

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Not Available   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Bluish Black   
White   

Porosity
Very Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Subvitreous to Dull   

Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2   
7
Not Available   

Cleavage
Not Available   
Perfect   

Toughness
2.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
2.86-2.87   

Transparency
Opaque   
Translucent   

Density
2.8-3 g/cm3   
2.77-2.771 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Africa
Egypt   
Not Yet Found   

Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom   
France, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Spain   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
USA   
USA   

South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru   
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Diorite and Dacite Properties

Know all about Diorite and Dacite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diorite and Dacite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Diorite is Phaneritic whereas that of Dacite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Diorite appears Shiny and Dacite appears Vesicular. The luster of Diorite is shiny while that of Dacite is subvitreous to dull. Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Dacite is available in bluish - grey, brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Diorite are creating artwork, curling and that of Dacite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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