Definition
Granodiorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock containing quartz and plagioclase, and which has composition in between granite and diorite
Gabbro is an intrusive igneous rock which is chemically equivalent to plutonic Basalt
Discoverer
Unknown
Christian Leopold von Buch
Etymology
From granite + diorite
From Latin glaber bare, smooth, bald
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Phaneritic
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Dark Grey to Black
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Stair Treads
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Resorts
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Not Available
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Available
Not Available
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns
Smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Not Available
Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Not Available
Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks.
Gabbro, a mafic rock, forms due to cooling and crystallization of magma underneath Earth's surface.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Wind Erosion
Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
1.6
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
2.7-3.3 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
India, Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
Others
Not Available
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Available
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Available
New Zealand, Queensland
Granodiorite vs Gabbro 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. Granodiorite vs Gabbro characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granodiorite and Properties of Gabbro. Learn more about Granodiorite vs Gabbro in the next section. The interior uses of Granodiorite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Gabbro include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granodiorite and Gabbro, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granodiorite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Gabbro include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Granodiorite and Gabbro
Here you can know more about Granodiorite and Gabbro. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granodiorite and Gabbro consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granodiorite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Gabbro includes Augite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Granodiorite vs Gabbro, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granodiorite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas, Gabbro is available in dark grey to black colors. Appearance of Granodiorite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Gabbro is Veined and Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granodiorite vs Gabbro. The hardness of Granodiorite is 6 and that of Gabbro is 7. The types of Granodiorite are Not Available whereas types of Gabbro are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granodiorite is white while that of Gabbro is black. The specific heat capacity of Granodiorite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Gabbro is Not Available. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granodiorite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Gabbro is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.
