Dolomite

Porphyry

Dolomite and Porphyry

Dolomite

Porphyry

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Definition

Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight

Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix

History

Origin

Southern Alps, France

Egypt

Discoverer

Dolomieu

Unknown

Etymology

From French, from the name of Dolomieu (1750–1801), the French geologist who discovered the rock

From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites

Class

Sedimentary Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Earthy

Porphyritic

Color

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, Rust, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Glassy or Pearly

Dull

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

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

Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium

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)

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry

Types

Boninite and Jasperoid

Rhomb Porphyry

Features

Host Rock for Lead, Traps for subsurface fluids like Oil and Natural Gas., Zinc and Copper Deposits

Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Present

Absent

Formation

Dolomite rocks are originally deposited as calcite or aragonite rich limestone, but during diagenesis process, the calcite or aragonite is transformed into dolomite.

Porphyry is formed in two stages: the magma cools slowly deep within the crust or the magma is cools rapidly as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to naked eye.

Composition

Mineral Content

Clay Minerals, Pyrite, Quartz, Sulfides

Biotite, Chert, Feldspar, Garnet, Graphite, Quartz, Silica

Compound Content

NaCl, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Magnesium Carbonate, MgO

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-46-7

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous and Pearly

Dull

Compressive Strength

140.00 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

1.7

Specific Gravity

2.8-32.5-4

0 8.4

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Transparency

Transparent to Translucent

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.8-2.9 g/cm³2.5-2.52 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.92 kJ/Kg K0.71 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India

China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Morocco, Namibia

Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa

Europe

Austria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland

Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland

Others

Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Mexico, USA

Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Yorke Peninsula

New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia

All about Dolomite and Porphyry Properties

Know all about Dolomite and Porphyry properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dolomite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Porphyry belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dolomite is Earthy whereas that of Porphyry is Porphyritic. Dolomite appears Glassy or Pearly and Porphyry appears Dull. The luster of Dolomite is vitreous and pearly while that of Porphyry is dull. Dolomite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Porphyry is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, rust, 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 Porphyry are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.