Definition
Granophyre is a type of granitic rock which consists of intergrown feldspar and quartz crystals in a medium to fine grained groundmass
Very fine grained fault rock which is composed of glassy matrix that often contains inclusions of wall-rock fragments.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German Granophyr, from Granit granite + Porphyr
From pseudo- + tachylite, a glassy rock generated by frictional heat within faults.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granophyric
Quench
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
-
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Gemstone
Types
Intermediate intrusive rock
Cataclastic rock
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Granophyre 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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Pseudotachylite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Hornblade, Orthoclase, Plagioclase, Quartz
Iron Oxides, Pyroxene, Quartz, Stishovite, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
-
Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White
Light to dark brown
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Vitreous
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.46-2.86
Transparency
Opaque
Transparent to Translucent
Density
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
2.7-2.9 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
South Korea
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Great Britain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, Western Australia
All about Granophyre and Pseudotachylite Properties
Know all about Granophyre and Pseudotachylite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granophyre belongs to Igneous Rocks while Pseudotachylite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks.Texture of Granophyre is Granophyric whereas that of Pseudotachylite is Quench. Granophyre appears Veined or Pebbled and Pseudotachylite appears Dull and Soft. The luster of Granophyre is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Pseudotachylite is vitreous. Granophyre is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Pseudotachylite is available in black, brown, green, grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Granophyre are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones and that of Pseudotachylite are creating artwork, gemstone.