Definition
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
Theralite is a plutonic hylocrystalline igneous rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase and nepheline
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
From Greek to pursue
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Shiny
Veined and Shiny
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, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
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, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Teschenite and Essexite
Features
Typically speckled black and white.
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not 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.
Theralite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Shiny
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Specific Gravity
2.8-3
2.5-2.8
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.8-3 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
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, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Diorite vs Theralite 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 Theralite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Diorite and Properties of Theralite. Learn more about Diorite vs Theralite in the next section. The interior uses of Diorite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Theralite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Diorite and Theralite, 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 Theralite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Diorite and Theralite
Here you can know more about Diorite and Theralite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Diorite and Theralite 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 Theralite includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Diorite vs Theralite, 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, Theralite is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Diorite is Shiny and that of Theralite is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Diorite vs Theralite. The hardness of Diorite is 6-7 and that of Theralite is 7. The types of Diorite are Not Available whereas types of Theralite are Teschenite and Essexite. 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 Theralite is white. The specific heat capacity of Diorite is Not Available and that of Theralite is 0.74 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 Theralite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.