Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Anorthosite is a granular igneous rock composed largely of labradorite or plagioclase
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
From French anorthose plagioclase + -ite1
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Foliated, Glassy
Color
Black, Brown
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Green, Grey, Light Greenish Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Curling
Types
Metamorphic rock
Proterozoic Anorthosite and Archean Anorthosite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Granulite is a fine-grained granular metamorphic rock in which the main component minerals are feldspars and quartz and forms at high temperature and pressure conditions.
Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock which is characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar which is almost 90–100%, and a minimal mafic component.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Amphibole, Clinopyroxene, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Orthopyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, MgO, Sulfur Trioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
2.62-2.82
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
2.7-4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
-
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa
-
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
-
Bolivia, Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Granulite and Anorthosite Properties
Know all about Granulite and Anorthosite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granulite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Anorthosite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granulite is Granoblastic whereas that of Anorthosite is Foliated, Glassy. Granulite appears Veined or Pebbled and Anorthosite appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Granulite is vitreous while that of Anorthosite is pearly to subvitreous. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas Anorthosite is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, green, grey, light greenish grey, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Granulite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, soil conditioner, tombstones and that of Anorthosite are creating artwork, curling.