Granulite and Aplite

Granulite

Aplite

Aplite and Granulite

Definition

Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.

Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz

History

Origin

Central Europe

Iran

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained

From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Not Applicable

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granoblastic

Granular, Graphic

Color

Black, Brown

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls

As Dimension Stone

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones

Types

Not Available

Features

Clasts are smooth to touch

Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Famous Monuments

Data Not Available

Sculpture

Used

Famous Sculptures

Data Not Available

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Fossils

Absent

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.

Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

6.5

Grain Size

Medium to Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Not Available

Streak

White

Porosity

Very Less Porous

Less Porous

Luster

Vitreous

Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²

130.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Imperfect

Not Available

Toughness

Not Available

Specific Gravity

2.8-3.0

2.6

Transparency

Opaque

Density

3.06-3.33 g/cm³

2.6 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.14 kJ/Kg K

0.79 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Granulite and Aplite Properties

Know all about Granulite and Aplite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granulite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Aplite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granulite is Granoblastic whereas that of Aplite is Granular, Graphic. Granulite appears Veined or Pebbled and Aplite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Granulite is vitreous while that of Aplite is dull to pearly to subvitreous. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. The commercial uses of Granulite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, soil conditioner, tombstones and that of Aplite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, small sculptures, tombstones.