Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
  
Rapakivi Granite is a hornblende-biotite Granite containing large rounded crystals of orthoclase which are mantled with oligoclase
  
History
  
  
Origin
Germany
  
Finland, Europe
  
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
  
Jakob Sederholm
  
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
  
From Finnish Rapakivi which stands for crumbly rock
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Plutonic
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Granular, Phaneritic
  
Color
Dark Grey to Black
  
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Veined and Shiny
  
Veined or Pebbled
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Office Buildings, Paving Stone, Resorts
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
As Dimension Stone
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
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
  
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Curling, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
  
Types
Not Available
  
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite
  
Features
Smooth to touch
  
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
  
Granite is an igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
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
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Not Available
  
Streak
Black
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Not Available
  
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
175.00 N/mm2
  
13
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
1.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.6-2.7
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
  
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.79 kJ/Kg K
  
16
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Gabbro vs Rapakivi Granite 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 Rapakivi Granite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gabbro and Properties of Rapakivi Granite. Learn more about Gabbro vs Rapakivi Granite in the next section. The interior uses of Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Rapakivi Granite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Gabbro and Rapakivi Granite, 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 Rapakivi Granite include As dimension stone.
More about Gabbro and Rapakivi Granite
Here you can know more about Gabbro and Rapakivi Granite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gabbro and Rapakivi Granite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Rapakivi Granite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Gabbro vs Rapakivi Granite, 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, Rapakivi Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny and that of Rapakivi Granite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gabbro vs Rapakivi Granite. The hardness of Gabbro is 7 and that of Rapakivi Granite is 6-7. The types of Gabbro are Not Available whereas types of Rapakivi Granite are Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite and Hybrid Granite. 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 Rapakivi Granite is white. The specific heat capacity of Gabbro is Not Available and that of Rapakivi Granite is 0.79 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 Rapakivi Granite is heat resistant, wear resistant.