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.
  
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
  
History
  
  
Origin
England
  
Finland, Europe
  
Discoverer
Unknown
  
Unknown
  
Etymology
From gan′is-ter i.e a hard, close-grained siliceous stone, often forming the stratum which underlies a coal-seam
  
From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone
  
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Not Applicable
  
Plutonic
  
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Clastic, Granular, Rough
  
Earthy, Granular
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
  
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
No
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
No
  
Appearance
Rough
  
Banded and Foilated
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
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, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
  
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
  
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
  
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest 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
  
Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
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.
  
Ijolite 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.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
  
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
  
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact 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, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
5.5-6
  
Grain Size
Coarse or Fine
  
Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Splintery
  
Conchoidal to Uneven
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Dull
  
Greasy to Dull
  
Compressive Strength
95.00 N/mm
2
  
20
Not Available
  
Cleavage
Perfect
  
Poor
  
Toughness
2.6
  
Not Available
  
Specific Gravity
2.2-2.8
  
2.6-2.76
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
2.2-2.8 g/cm3
  
2.6 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, Wear Resistant
  
Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
  
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
  
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
  
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
  
Others
Greenland
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Brazil
  
Colombia
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
  
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
  
All about Ganister and Ijolite Properties
Know all about Ganister and Ijolite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ganister belongs to Sedimentary Rocks while Ijolite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Ganister is Clastic, Granular, Rough whereas that of Ijolite is Earthy, Granular. Ganister appears Rough and Ijolite appears Banded and Foilated. The luster of Ganister is dull while that of Ijolite is greasy to dull. 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 Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white 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 Ijolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork.