Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Quench
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
Black
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Vitreous
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
1.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
South Korea
Africa
South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Great Britain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Not Yet Found
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Gabbro and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Gabbro and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gabbro belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Gabbro is Phaneritic whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Gabbro appears Veined and Shiny and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Gabbro is not available while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Gabbro are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.