Definition
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
  
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine
  
History
  
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
  
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic
  
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
  
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Shiny
  
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
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
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Types
Not Available
  
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites
  
Features
Typically speckled black and white.
  
Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, 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
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
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.
  
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
  
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene
  
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional 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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
7
  
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Uneven
  
Streak
Bluish Black
  
White, Greenish White or Grey
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Shiny
  
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm
2
  
7
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Irregular
  
Toughness
2.1
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
  
3.2-3.5
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.8-3 g/cm3
  
3.1-3.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
Not Yet Found
  
India, Russia
  
Africa
Egypt
  
South Africa
  
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Others
Not Yet Found
  
Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
  
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland
  
Diorite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diorite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Diorite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Diorite and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Diorite and Pyroxenite
Here you can know more about Diorite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diorite and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diorite vs Pyroxenite, 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, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Diorite is Shiny and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diorite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Diorite is 6-7 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Diorite are Not Available whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. 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 Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Diorite is Not Available and that of Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.