Definition
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Discoverer
Unknown
William Smith
Etymology
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Shiny
Rounded and Rough
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Typically speckled black and white.
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
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.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Pearly to Shiny
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-3 g/cm3
-9999 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Egypt
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
All about Diorite and Oolite Properties
Know all about Diorite and Oolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Diorite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Oolite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Diorite is Phaneritic whereas that of Oolite is Clastic or Non-Clastic. Diorite appears Shiny and Oolite appears Rounded and Rough. The luster of Diorite is shiny while that of Oolite is pearly to shiny. Diorite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors whereas Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Diorite are creating artwork, curling and that of Oolite are creating artwork, jewelry, used in aquariums.