Gabbro and Dunite

Gabbro

Dunite

Dunite and Gabbro

Definition

Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt

Dunite is a green to brownish coarse-grained igneous rock mainly consisting of olivine

History

Origin

Germany

New Zealand

Discoverer

Christian Leopold von Buch

Ferdinand von Hochstetter

Etymology

From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald

From the name of Dun Mountain, New Zealand, + -ite1

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Phaneritic

Color

Dark Grey to Black

Dark Greenish - Grey

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Veined and Shiny

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration

Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate

As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones

Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds

Types

Not Available

Features

Smooth to touch

Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.

Dunite is a plutonic ultramafic igneous rock consisting almost m olivine. It can be formed in two ways.

Composition

Mineral Content

Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene

Compound Content

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

Ca, CaO, Fe, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Impact Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Coastal Erosion

Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

3.5-4

Grain Size

Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Irregular

Streak

Black

White

Porosity

Highly Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Not Available

Shiny

Compressive Strength

225.00 N/mm²

107.55 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Imperfect

Toughness

1.6

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.86-2.87

3-3.01

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.7-3.3 g/cm³

2.84-2.85 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

Not Available

1.25 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

India, Russia

China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey

Africa

South Africa

Morocco, South Africa

Europe

Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey

Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela

Others

Greenland

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New Zealand, Queensland

New Zealand, Western Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Gabbro and Dunite Properties

Know all about Gabbro and Dunite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gabbro and Dunite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Gabbro is Phaneritic whereas that of Dunite is Phaneritic. Gabbro appears Veined and Shiny and Dunite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Gabbro is not available while that of Dunite is shiny. Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Dunite is available in dark greenish - grey colors. The commercial uses of Gabbro are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Dunite are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry, source of chromite, platinum, nickel and garnet, source of diamonds.