Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Carbonatite is intrusive or extrusive igneous rock which is defined by mineralogic composition, consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals
Origin
New Zealand
Tanzania
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
From any intrusive igneous rock, having a majority of carbonate minerals
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Granular, Poikiloblastic
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
As a Flux in the Production of Steel and Pig Iron, As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Unknown, Unknown
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux
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
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
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
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks which are defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals and are formed due to low degrees of partial melting of rocks.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Sodium Oxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
2.84-2.86 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
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
New South Wales, New Zealand
Dunite vs Carbonatite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Dunite vs Carbonatite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Carbonatite. Learn more about Dunite vs Carbonatite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Carbonatite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Carbonatite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Dunite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Carbonatite include As a flux in the production of steel and pig iron, As a sintering agent in steel industry to process iron ore, As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories, Unknown, Unknown.
More about Dunite and Carbonatite
Here you can know more about Dunite and Carbonatite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Carbonatite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Dunite includes Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Carbonatite includes Ancylite, Apatite, Barite, Fluorite, Magnetite, Natrolite, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Carbonatite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Carbonatite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Carbonatite is Dull, Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Carbonatite. The hardness of Dunite is 3.5-4 and that of Carbonatite is 3. The types of Dunite are Not Available whereas types of Carbonatite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dunite and Carbonatite is white. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Carbonatite is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Dunite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Carbonatite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.