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
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
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Bluish - Grey, Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Shiny
Vesicular
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
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
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
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
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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
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
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
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
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
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
Diorite vs Dacite 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. Diorite vs Dacite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diorite and Properties of Dacite. Learn more about Diorite vs Dacite in the next section. The interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Dacite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diorite and Dacite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Diorite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Dacite include As dimension stone, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping.
More about Diorite and Dacite
Here you can know more about Diorite and Dacite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diorite and Dacite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Diorite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon and mineral content of Dacite includes Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diorite vs Dacite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. 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. Appearance of Diorite is Shiny and that of Dacite is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diorite vs Dacite. The hardness of Diorite is 6-7 and that of Dacite is 2-2.25. The types of Diorite are Not Available whereas types of Dacite are Footwall Dacite, Hanging wall Dacite, Tuff and Biotite Dacite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Diorite is bluish black while that of Dacite is white. The specific heat capacity of Diorite is Not Available and that of Dacite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Diorite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Dacite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.