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Dunite and Lignite


Lignite and Dunite


Definition

Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine   
Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat   

History
  
  

Origin
New Zealand   
France   

Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1   
From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Sedimentary Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Amorphous, Glassy   

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey   
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
No   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Rough and Shiny   
Veined or Pebbled   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Not Yet Used   

Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone   
Not Yet Used   

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Not Yet Used   

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Not Yet Used   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds   
Electricity Generation   

Types

Types
Not Available   
Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite   

Features
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock   
Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
Used   

Figurines
Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Absent   
Present   

Formation

Formation
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.   
Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Not Available   

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide   
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
No   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism   
Not Applicable   

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   
1   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Conchoidal   

Streak
White   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Highly Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   

Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2   
19
Not Available   

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
2.1   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
3-3.01   
1.1-1.4   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3   
800-801 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.25 kJ/Kg K   
6
1.26 kJ/Kg K   
5

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey   
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam   

Africa
Morocco, South Africa   
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania   

Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela   
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela   
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Dunite and Lignite Properties

Know all about Dunite and Lignite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Lignite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Lignite is Amorphous, Glassy. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Lignite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Lignite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds and that of Lignite are electricity generation.

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