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Epidosite and Serpentinite


Serpentinite and Epidosite


Definition

Definition
Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt   
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.   

History
  
  

Origin
Unknown   
USA   

Discoverer
Unknown   
Unknown   

Etymology
Not Available   
From English word serpentinization.   

Class
Igneous Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

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

Family
  
  

Group
Volcanic   
Not Applicable   

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

Texture

Texture
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular   
Earthy   

Color
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey   
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White   

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Scratch Resistant
Yes   
No   

Stain Resistant
Yes   
Yes   

Wind Resistant
Yes   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Dull and Soft   
Rough and Dull   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration   
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration   

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

Other Architectural Uses
Curbing   
Curbing   

Industry
  
  

Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone   
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement   

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines   
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture   

Other Uses
  
  

Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork   

Types

Types
Alkaline Basalt, Boninite, High Alumina Basalt, Mid Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB), Tholeiitic Basalt, Basaltic trachyandesite, Mugearite and Shoshonite   
Jadeitite   

Features
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock   
Host Rock for Lead   

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Used   
Used   

Famous Monuments
Data Not Available   
Data Not Available   

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
Epidosite 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.   
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.   

Composition
  
  

Mineral Content
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene   
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides   

Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide   
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism   

Weathering
Yes   
No   

Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
No   
Yes   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
6   
3-5   

Grain Size
Fine to Coarse Grained   
Very fine-grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Uneven   

Streak
White to Grey   
White, Greenish White or Grey   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Not Available   
Waxy and Dull   

Compressive Strength
Not Available   
310.00 N/mm2   
2

Cleavage
Not Available   
Irregular   

Toughness
2.3   
7   

Specific Gravity
2.8-3   
2.79-3   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
Not Available   
2.5-3 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available   
0.95 kJ/Kg K   
9

Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant   
Heat Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

Asia
India, Russia   
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea   

Africa
South Africa   
Ethiopia, Western Africa   

Europe
Iceland   
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, USA   
Canada   

South America
Brazil   
Colombia   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
Not Yet Found   
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia   

Summary >>
<< Reserves

All about Epidosite and Serpentinite Properties

Know all about Epidosite and Serpentinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Epidosite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Serpentinite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Epidosite is Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular whereas that of Serpentinite is Earthy. Epidosite appears Dull and Soft and Serpentinite appears Rough and Dull. The luster of Epidosite is not available while that of Serpentinite is waxy and dull. Epidosite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors whereas Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Epidosite and Serpentinite are commemorative tablets, creating artwork.

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