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
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
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Veined or Pebbled
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
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
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Electricity Generation
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
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
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.
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
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Not Applicable
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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Shiny
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic
Compressive Strength
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
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
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
Dunite vs Lignite 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 Lignite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Lignite. Learn more about Dunite vs Lignite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Lignite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Lignite, 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 Lignite include For road aggregate, Steel production.
More about Dunite and Lignite
Here you can know more about Dunite and Lignite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Lignite 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 Lignite is not available. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Lignite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Lignite. The hardness of Dunite is 3.5-4 and that of Lignite is 1. The types of Dunite are Not Available whereas types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Dunite is white while that of Lignite is black. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Lignite is 1.26 kJ/Kg K. 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 Lignite is heat resistant.