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Dunite
Dunite

Pyroxenite
Pyroxenite



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Dunite vs Pyroxenite

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Definition

Definition

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine
Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine

History

Origin

New Zealand
Unknown

Discoverer

Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Unknown

Etymology

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1
From pyro- fire + Greek xenos stranger as the mineral group was new to igneous rocks

Class

Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic
Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Texture

Phaneritic
Clastic, Granular, Phaneritic, Porphyritic

Color

Dark Greenish - Grey
Black to Grey, Bluish - Grey, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Light Greenish Grey

Maintenance

Less
Less

Durability

Durable
Durable

Water Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Stain Resistant

Wind Resistant

Acid Resistant

Appearance

Rough and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

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, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

Medical Industry

Not Available
Not Available

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Types

Types

Not Available
Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites

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, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used
Not Yet Used

Famous Monuments

Not Available
Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used
Not Yet Used

Famous Sculptures

Not Available
Not Applicable

Pictographs

Used
Not Used

Petroglyphs

Used
Not Used

Figurines

Used
Not Yet Used

Fossils

Absent
Absent

Formation

Formation

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.
Pyroxenites are ultramafic igneous rocks which are made up of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene

Compound Content

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-47
1 7
👆🏻

Grain Size

Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained

Fracture

Irregular
Uneven

Streak

White
White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous
Less Porous

Luster

Shiny
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

Compressive Strength

107.55 N/mm2NA
0.15 450
👆🏻

Cleavage

Not Available
Not Available

Toughness

2.1
Not Available

Specific Gravity

3-3.013.2-3.5
0 8.4
👆🏻

Transparency

Translucent to Opaque
Opaque

Density

2.84-2.85 g/cm33.1-3.6 g/cm3
0 1400
👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.25 kJ/Kg KNA
0.14 3.2
👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear 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
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Others

Not Available
Greenland

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA
Canada, USA

South America

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland

Dunite vs Pyroxenite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Dunite and Pyroxenite Reserves. Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine. Pyroxenite is a dark, greenish, granular intrusive igneous rock consisting mainly of pyroxenes and olivine. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Dunite vs Pyroxenite information and Dunite vs Pyroxenite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

Dunite vs Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Dunite and Properties of Pyroxenite. Learn more about Dunite vs Pyroxenite in the next section. The interior uses of Dunite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Pyroxenite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Dunite and Pyroxenite, 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 Pyroxenite include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.

More about Dunite and Pyroxenite

Here you can know more about Dunite and Pyroxenite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Dunite and Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite includes Amphibole, Augite, Bronzite, Chromite, Diopside, Enstatite, Garnet, Hornblende, Hypersthene, Magnetite, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Dunite vs Pyroxenite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors whereas, Pyroxenite is available in black to grey, bluish - grey, dark greenish - grey, green, light greenish grey colors. Appearance of Dunite is Rough and Shiny and that of Pyroxenite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Dunite vs Pyroxenite. The hardness of Dunite is 3.5-4 and that of Pyroxenite is 7. The types of Dunite are Not Available whereas types of Pyroxenite are Clinopyroxenites, Orthopyroxenites and Websterites. 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 Pyroxenite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Dunite is 1.25 kJ/Kg K and that of Pyroxenite 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 Pyroxenite is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.