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Dunite and Shoshonite


Shoshonite and Dunite


Definition

Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine   
Shoshonite is a basaltic rock, properly a potassic trachyandesite, composed of olivine, augite and plagioclase phenocrysts in a groundmass with calcic plagioclase and sanidine and some dark-colored volcanic glass   

History
  
  

Origin
New Zealand   
Wyoming,USA   

Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter   
Iddings   

Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1   
From the place of origin called Shoshone riverin Wyoming   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Igneous Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Plutonic   
Volcanic   

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

Texture

Texture
Phaneritic   
Porphyritic   

Color
Dark Greenish - Grey   
Brown- Black, Dark Brown   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
No   
Yes   

Acid Resistant
No   
Yes   

Appearance
Rough and Shiny   
Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration   

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

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   
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds   
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Not Available   
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   
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   

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   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Used   
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.   
Shoshonite 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   
Pyroxene   

Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide   
Aluminium Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism   
Burial 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, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
3.5-4   
6   

Grain Size
Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Irregular   
Uneven   

Streak
White   
White to Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Shiny   
Dull   

Compressive Strength
107.55 N/mm2   
19
Not Available   

Cleavage
Imperfect   
Poor   

Toughness
2.1   
1.6   

Specific Gravity
3-3.01   
2.98   

Transparency
Translucent to Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3   
2.9-3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.25 kJ/Kg K   
6
Not Available   

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Morocco, South Africa   
South Africa   

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

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada, USA   

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

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia   
Not Yet Found   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Dunite and Shoshonite Properties

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

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