Dunite and Lherzolite
Definition
Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Lherzolite is a type of ultramafic igneous rock which contains essential olivine and clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in equal proportions
History
Origin
New Zealand
France
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
From the Lherz Massif, an alpine peridotite complex, at Étang de Lers, near Massat in the French Pyrenees; Lherz is the archaic spelling of this location
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Phaneritic
Grenue
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Pink, Purple
Maintenance
Less
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
No
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
No
No
Acid Resistant
No
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Landscaping, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
As armour rock for sea walls, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Used in aquariums
Types
Types
Not Available
Garnet Lherzolite
Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
Formation
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Lherzolite 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.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Harzburgite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Cr, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
3.5-4
6.5
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2
19
290.00 N/mm2
3
Cleavage
Imperfect
Perfect
Toughness
2.1
2.7
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.86
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
2.8-2.9 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
1.25 kJ/Kg K
6
0.95 kJ/Kg K
9
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
Russia, South Korea
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Dunite and Lherzolite Properties
Know all about Dunite and Lherzolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite and Lherzolite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Lherzolite is Grenue. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Lherzolite appears Glassy, Vesicular and Foilated. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Lherzolite is subvitreous to dull. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Lherzolite is available in black, dark greenish - grey, green, pink, purple colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Lherzolite are as armour rock for sea walls, source of magnesia (mgo), used in aquariums.
|
||
|
||
|
