Definition
A ganister is a hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone or orthoquartzite which is basically used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces and is a type of sedimentary rocks.
  
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
Germany
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Christian Leopold von Buch
  
Etymology
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
  
From Greek di + base
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Aphanitic, Granular
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Dark Grey to Black
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Vesicular
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building 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
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
  
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, In aquifers, Petroleum reservoirs, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
  
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Smooth to touch
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
  
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
Present
  
Absent
  
Formation
Ganisters are formed by the destruction of easily weathered minerals mainly feldspar, within the surface horizon of soil by soil-forming processes.
  
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
7
  
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
  
Fine to Medium Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
Black
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Not Available
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm2
  
20
225.00 N/mm2
  
7
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
2.6
  
1.6
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.86-2.87
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.92 kJ/Kg K
  
10
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
India
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
South Africa, Tanzania
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
  
Others
Greenland
  
Antarctica, Greenland
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
All about Ganister and Diabase Properties
Know all about Ganister and Diabase properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ganister belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Diabase belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Diabase is Aphanitic, Granular. Ganister appears Rough and Diabase appears Vesicular. The luster of Ganister is dull while that of Diabase is not available. Ganister is available in beige, black, brown, colourless, cream, dark brown, green, grey, light green, light to dark grey, pink, red, white, yellow colors whereas Diabase is available in dark grey to black colors. The commercial uses of Ganister are an oil and gas reservoir, in aquifers, petroleum reservoirs, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo), tombstones and that of Diabase are an oil and gas reservoir, cemetery markers, commemorative tablets, laboratory bench tops, jewelry, sea defence, tombstones.