Dunite

Shonkinite

Dunite and Shonkinite

Dunite

Shonkinite

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Definition

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

Shonkinite is a rare, dark-coloured and intrusive igneous rock which contains augite and orthoclase feldspar as its primary constituents

History

Origin

New Zealand

USA

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Unknown

Etymology

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

From the name of Shonkin Sag ranges in the Highwood Mountains of north-central Montana, US

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

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

Texture

Phaneritic

Earthy

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey

Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Rough and Shiny

Banded and Foilated

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, 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

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork

Types

Dunite

Igneous rock

Features

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

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock, Matrix variable

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

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

Shonkinites are formed due to alkaline igneous activities and are generally formed in thick continental crustal areas or in Cordilleran subduction zones.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

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

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, 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, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-45.5-6

1 7

👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Shiny

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm²150.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

👆🏻

Cleavage

Perfect

Toughness

2.1

Specific Gravity

3-3.012.6-2.7

0 8.4

👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque

Opaque

Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm³2.6-2.8 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg K0.92 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

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

Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Brazil, Chile

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia

New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Dunite and Shonkinite Properties

Know all about Dunite and Shonkinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Dunite and Shonkinite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Dunite is Phaneritic whereas that of Shonkinite is Earthy. Dunite appears Rough and Shiny and Shonkinite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Dunite is shiny while that of Shonkinite is subvitreous to dull. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas Shonkinite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, 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 Shonkinite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.