Dunite and Ignimbrite

Dunite

Ignimbrite

Definition

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows

History

Origin

New Zealand

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Patrick Marshall

Etymology

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Aphanitic

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Dull, Vesicular and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork

Types

Not Available

Features

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Used

Petroglyphs

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Ca, NaCl

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

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

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

4-6

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Uneven

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Vitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²

243.80 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Not Available

Toughness

2.1

Not Available

Specific Gravity

3-3.01

2.73

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

1-1.8 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K

0.20 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Europe

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Antarctica, Hawaii Islands

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA

South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Central Australia, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Dunite and Ignimbrite Properties

Know all about Dunite and Ignimbrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite and Ignimbrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Ignimbrite is Aphanitic. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Ignimbrite appears Dull, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Ignimbrite is vitreous to dull. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Ignimbrite are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, creating artwork.