Home
Compare Rocks


Dolomite and Nepheline Syenite


Nepheline Syenite and Dolomite


Definition

Definition
Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight   
Nepheline Syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock resembling syenite but containing nepheline and lacking quartz   

History
  
  

Origin
Southern Alps, France   
Unknown   

Discoverer
Dolomieu   
Unknown   

Etymology
From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock   
From origin of a Palaeozoic nepheline syenite from northern Shanxi Province, China   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Plutonic   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Earthy   
Granular   

Color
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White   
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Glassy or Pearly   
Banded and Foilated   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Serves as an Oil and Gas Reservoir rock   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Production of Glass and Ceramics   

Medical Industry
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Boninite and Jasperoid   
Borolanite and Litchfieldite   

Features
Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits   
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Dissolves in hydrochloric acid, Is one of the oldest rock   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Sculpture
Used   
Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

Formation
Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.   
Nepheline Syenites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides   
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite   

Compound Content
NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO   
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
No   
Yes   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3.5-4   
5.5-6   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Fine Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal to Uneven   

Streak
White   
White   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Vitreous and Pearly   
Greasy to Dull   

Compressive Strength
140.00 N/mm2   
15
150.00 N/mm2   
14

Cleavage
Perfect   
Poor   

Toughness
1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
2.6   

Transparency
Transparent to Translucent   
Translucent to Opaque   

Density
2.8-2.9 g/cm3   
2.6 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K   
10
Not Available   

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

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India   
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam   

Africa
Morocco, Namibia   
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa   

Europe
Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland   
Andorra, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Greenland   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Mexico, USA   
Canada, USA   

South America
Brazil, Colombia   
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula   
New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Dolomite and Nepheline Syenite Properties

Know all about Dolomite and Nepheline Syenite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Nepheline Syenite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Nepheline Syenite is Granular. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Nepheline Syenite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Nepheline Syenite is greasy to dull. Dolomite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Nepheline Syenite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Dolomite are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo) and that of Nepheline Syenite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

Fossil Rocks

Fossil Rocks

» More Fossil Rocks

Compare Sedimentary Rocks

» More Compare Sedimentary Rocks