Definition
Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals and light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From English feldspar and -ite
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Arborescent Patterned, Vitreous
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Surgery
-
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Mirror, Jewelry
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Igneous rock
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch, Splintery, Very fine grained rock
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Felsite 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.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Mineral Content
Feldspar, Iron Oxides
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Irregular
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.62-2.82
Transparency
Translucent
Translucent
Density
2.6 g/cm3
2.7-4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
-
Europe
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
Felsite vs Anorthosite 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. Felsite vs Anorthosite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Felsite and Properties of Anorthosite. Learn more about Felsite vs Anorthosite in the next section. The interior uses of Felsite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Anorthosite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Felsite and Anorthosite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Felsite in construction industry include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points and that of Anorthosite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate.
More about Felsite and Anorthosite
Here you can know more about Felsite and Anorthosite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Felsite and Anorthosite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Felsite includes Feldspar, Iron Oxides and mineral content of Anorthosite includes Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Felsite vs Anorthosite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Felsite is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors whereas, Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Felsite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny and that of Anorthosite is Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Felsite vs Anorthosite. The hardness of Felsite is 5-5.5 and that of Anorthosite is 5-6. The types of Felsite are Igneous rock whereas types of Anorthosite are Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Felsite and Anorthosite is white. The specific heat capacity of Felsite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K and that of Anorthosite is 0.84 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Felsite is heat resistant, impact resistant whereas Anorthosite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, scratch resistant, wear resistant.