Dunite

Nephelinite

Dunite and Nephelinite

Dunite

Nephelinite

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

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

Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

New Zealand

Brazil

1.2.2 Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē

1.4 Class

Igneous Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Plutonic

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Phaneritic

Aphanitic

2.2 Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

2.5 Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Skeletal

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

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

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

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

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

Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

4 Types

4.1 Types

Not Available

Peralkaline Nephelinite

4.2 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

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

4.3.3 Sculpture

Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

4.3.5 Pictographs

Used

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Used

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Used

4.4 Fossils

Absent

5 Formation

5.1 Formation

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

Nephelinite 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.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

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

Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase

5.2.2 Compound Content

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

Ca, CaO, Carbon, Cl, MgO

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Contact Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

3.5-46.5

1 7

6.1.2 Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Irregular

Flat

6.1.4 Streak

White

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Shiny

Vitreous to Metallic

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²35.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Imperfect

6.1.9 Toughness

2.1

2.7

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

3-3.012.4-2.9

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm³2.5-3 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K0.88 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

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

Japan

7.1.2 Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Rwanda, Tanzania

7.1.3 Europe

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

Not Yet Found

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

Hawaii Islands

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, USA

7.2.2 South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Colombia

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

Not Yet Found

All about Dunite and Nephelinite Properties

Know all about Dunite and Nephelinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite and Nephelinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Nephelinite is Aphanitic. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Nephelinite appears Skeletal. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, 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 Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).