Definition
Diorite is a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar,biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene
Whiteschist is an uncommon rock type belonging to a class of metamorphic rock, this is formed at high-ultra-high pressures
History
Origin
-
Tasmania
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From early 19th century coined in French, formed irregularly from Greek diorizein distinguish
From French schiste, Greek skhistos i.e. split
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
-
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Foliated
Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Green, Grey, White
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Scratch Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Stain Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Wind Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Acid Resistant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Appearance
Shiny
Banded and Foilated
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
-
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Curling
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Production of Lime
Types
Plagioclase Diorite and Quartz Diorite
-
Features
Typically speckled black and white.
High percentage of mica, Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
-
-
Famous Monuments
-
-
Sculpture
-
-
Famous Sculptures
-
-
Pictographs
-
-
Petroglyphs
-
-
Figurines
-
-
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.
Whiteschist is formed by dynamic metamorphism at high temperatures and pressures that aligns the grains of mica, hornblende and other elongated minerals into thin layers.
Composition
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Carbonate, Coesite, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
CaO, Mg, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Weathering
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
✔
✘
✔
✘
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-71.5
1
7
👆🏻
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
Fracture
-
Conchoidal
Streak
Bluish Black
White
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2200.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
👆🏻
Cleavage
-
Perfect
Toughness
2.1
1
Specific Gravity
2.8-32.86
0
8.4
👆🏻
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.8-3 g/cm32.8-2.9 g/cm3
0
1400
👆🏻
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.84 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K
0.14
3.2
👆🏻
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
-
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Egypt
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
Austria, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Others
-
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
USA
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil, Colombia, Guyana
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland