Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Pumice is a volcanic rock that consists of highly vesicular rough textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
From Old French pomis, from a Latin dialect variant of pumex
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Vesicular
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Beige, Grey, Light Green, Light Grey, Pink, White, Yellow- grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Vesicular
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, 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
Curbing, Powder
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, In landscaping and horticulture, Making natural cement, Production of lightweight concrete blocks
Medical Industry
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As an abrasive in skin exfoliating products, In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Medicines and Cosmetics
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
As a traction material on snow-covered roads, As an abrasive in pencil erasers, Fine abrasive used for polishing, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Used in aquariums
Types
Anorthosite Gabbro and Norite Gabbro
Scoria
Features
Smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Pumice rock forms when the magma cools so quickly that atoms in the melt are not able to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Aluminum Oxides, Calcite, Carbonate, Iron Oxides, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Al, Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Planar
Streak
Black
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
0.25-0.3 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
South Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New Zealand, Western Australia
All about Gabbro and Pumice Properties
Know all about Gabbro and Pumice properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Gabbro and Pumice belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Gabbro is Phaneritic whereas that of Pumice is Vesicular. Gabbro appears Veined and Shiny and Pumice appears Vesicular. The luster of Gabbro is while that of Pumice is earthy. Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors whereas Pumice is available in beige, grey, light green, light grey, pink, white, yellow- grey colors. The commercial uses of Gabbro are cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones and that of Pumice are as a traction material on snow-covered roads, as an abrasive in pencil erasers, fine abrasive used for polishing, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, used in aquariums.