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Diorite vs Pyroxenite


Pyroxenite vs Diorite


Definition

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
  
  

Origin
-  
-  

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

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  

Uses

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
-  
-  

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

Types
Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite  
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
-  
-  

Famous Monuments
-  
-  

Sculpture
-  
-  

Famous Sculptures
-  
-  

Pictographs
-  
-  

Petroglyphs
-  
-  

Figurines
-  
-  

Fossils
Absent  
Absent  

Formation

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  

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6-7  
7  

Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained  
Coarse Grained  

Fracture
-  
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/mm2  
8
150.00 N/mm2  
22

Cleavage
-  
-  

Toughness
2.1  
-  

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
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15
0.84 kJ/Kg K  
15

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant  

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
-  
India, Russia  

Africa
Egypt  
South Africa  

Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey  

Others
-  
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  

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Diorite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite Reserves. 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. 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 Pyroxenite information and Diorite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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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 Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite 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 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite is 0.84 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.

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