Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar
Origin
Germany
Larvik, Norway
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Phaneritic
Phaneritic
Color
Dark Grey to Black
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
Shiny
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, 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, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
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, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite
Features
Smooth to touch
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
Formation
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Larvikite 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.
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Not Available
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Not Available
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
1.6
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Russia
Not Yet Found
Africa
South Africa
Not Yet Found
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Greenland
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Gabbro vs Larvikite 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. Gabbro vs Larvikite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gabbro and Properties of Larvikite. Learn more about Gabbro vs Larvikite in the next section. The interior uses of Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Larvikite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Gabbro and Larvikite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Gabbro in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate and that of Larvikite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Gabbro and Larvikite
Here you can know more about Gabbro and Larvikite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gabbro and Larvikite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Larvikite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Gabbro vs Larvikite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors whereas, Larvikite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny and that of Larvikite is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gabbro vs Larvikite. The hardness of Gabbro is 7 and that of Larvikite is 6-7. The types of Gabbro are Not Available whereas types of Larvikite are Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Gabbro is black while that of Larvikite is white. The specific heat capacity of Gabbro is Not Available and that of Larvikite is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Gabbro is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Larvikite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant.