Definition
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
  
Tonalite is a coarse-grained plutonic rock consisting mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and hornblende or other mafic minerals with phaneritic texture
  
History
  
  
Origin
Germany
  
Tonale, Italy
  
Discoverer
Christian Leopold von Buch
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
  
From Tonale Pass, northern Italy, + -ite1
  
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, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Phaneritic
  
Phaneritic
  
Color
Dark Grey to Black
  
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
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
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Curbing
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
  
Artifacts, Sculpture
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Dacite
  
Features
Smooth to touch
  
Is one of the oldest rock, Typically speckled black and white.
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
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.
  
When alkali feldspar is extracted from granite, it changes to granitoid and later, it becomes tonalite with quartz as major mineral.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
  
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, 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
  
NaCl, CaO, MgO, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion
  
Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
7
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
  
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Conchoidal
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
Black
  
Bluish Black
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Very Less Porous
  
Luster
Not Available
  
Subvitreous to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
225.00 N/mm
2
  
7
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
1.6
  
2.1
  
Specific Gravity
2.86-2.87
  
2.86-3
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
  
2.73 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
India, Russia
  
Not Yet Found
  
Africa
South Africa
  
Egypt
  
Europe
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Turkey
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
USA
  
South America
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland
  
New Zealand, South Australia, Western Australia
  
Gabbro vs Tonalite 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 Tonalite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Gabbro and Properties of Tonalite. Learn more about Gabbro vs Tonalite in the next section. The interior uses of Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Tonalite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Gabbro and Tonalite, 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 Tonalite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Gabbro and Tonalite
Here you can know more about Gabbro and Tonalite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Gabbro and Tonalite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene and mineral content of Tonalite includes Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Manganese Oxides, 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 Tonalite, 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, Tonalite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey, white colors. Appearance of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny and that of Tonalite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Gabbro vs Tonalite. The hardness of Gabbro is 7 and that of Tonalite is 6-7. The types of Gabbro are Not Available whereas types of Tonalite are Dacite. 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 Tonalite is bluish black. The specific heat capacity of Gabbro is Not Available and that of Tonalite 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 Tonalite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.