Definition
Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Metapelite is an old and currently not widely used field geological term for a clay rich fine-grained clastic sediment or sedimentary rock, i.e. mud or a mudstone
Origin
New Zealand
Unknown
Discoverer
Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Unknown
Etymology
From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
From Pelos or clay in Greek
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness 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
Foliated
Color
Dark Greenish - Grey
Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Green, Light Greenish Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Rough and Shiny
Banded
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
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
Easily splits into thin plates, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Metapelite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Albite, Chlorite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, MgO
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, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Irregular
Fibrous
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Not Available
Toughness
2.1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3-3.01
3.4-3.7
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.84-2.85 g/cm3
0-300 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Not Yet Found
Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela
United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Available
South America
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Dunite vs Metapelite 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 Metapelite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Metapelite. Learn more about Dunite vs Metapelite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Metapelite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Metapelite, 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 Metapelite include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Dunite and Metapelite
Here you can know more about Dunite and Metapelite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Metapelite 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 Metapelite includes Albite, Chlorite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Metapelite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Metapelite is available in dark greenish - grey, green, light green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Metapelite is Banded. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Metapelite. The hardness of Dunite is 3.5-4 and that of Metapelite is 5-6. The types of Dunite are Not Available whereas types of Metapelite are Not Available. 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 Metapelite is unknown. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Metapelite is 0.72 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 Metapelite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.