Diorite

Diabase

Diorite vs Diabase

Diorite

Diabase

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

Unknown

Germany

1.2.2 Discoverer

Unknown

Christian Leopold von Buch

1.3 Etymology

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

From Greek di + base

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Phaneritic

Aphanitic, Granular

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White

Dark Grey to Black

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Shiny

Vesicular

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration

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

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Curling

An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

4.2 Features

Typically speckled black and white.

Smooth to touch

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 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.

Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

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

Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine

5.2.2 Compound Content

Silicon Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

6-77

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Fine to Medium Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Not Available

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

Bluish Black

Black

6.1.5 Porosity

Very Less Porous

Highly Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Shiny

Not Available

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²225.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Not Available

6.1.9 Toughness

2.1

1.6

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

2.8-32.86-2.87

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.8-3 g/cm³2.7-3.3 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

NANA

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Not Yet Found

India

7.1.2 Africa

Egypt

South Africa, Tanzania

7.1.3 Europe

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

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Greenland

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

USA

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia

Diorite vs Diabase 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 Diorite and Diabase Reserves. Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene. Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar. 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 Diorite vs Diabase information and Diorite vs Diabase characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Diorite vs Diabase 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 Diabase characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diorite and Properties of Diabase. Learn more about Diorite vs Diabase in the next section. The interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Diabase include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Diorite and Diabase, 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 Diabase include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Diorite and Diabase

Here you can know more about Diorite and Diabase. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diorite and Diabase 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 Diabase includes Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diorite vs Diabase, 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, Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Diorite is Shiny and that of Diabase is Vesicular. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diorite vs Diabase. The hardness of Diorite is 6-7 and that of Diabase is 7. The types of Diorite are Not Available whereas types of Diabase are Not Available. 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 Diabase is black. The specific heat capacity of Diorite is Not Available and that of Diabase is Not Available. 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 Diabase is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.