Diorite

Larvikite

Diorite and Larvikite

Diorite

Larvikite

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Definition

Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene

Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar

History

Origin

Larvik, Norway

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish

From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite

Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite

Features

Typically speckled black and white.

Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

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.

Larvikite 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

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

Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-76-7

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Streak

Bluish Black

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²310.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.8-32.8-3

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.8-3 g/cm³2.9-2.91 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

Africa

Egypt

Europe

Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

USA

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Diorite and Larvikite Properties

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