Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
Nephelinite is a fine-grained or aphanitic igneous rock made up almost entirely of nepheline and clinopyroxene (variety augite).
Origin
Central Europe
Brazil
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
from French néphéline, from Greek nephelē
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Aphanitic
Color
Black, Brown
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Skeletal
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, 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, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
Creating Artwork, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Not Available
Peralkaline Nephelinite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
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.
Nephelinite 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.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase
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, Carbon, Cl, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Flat
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Vitreous to Metallic
Cleavage
Imperfect
Imperfect
Toughness
Not Available
2.7
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
2.4-2.9
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
3.06-3.33 g/cm3
2.5-3 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
Japan
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa
Rwanda, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Not Yet Found
Others
Not Yet Found
Hawaii Islands
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
All about Granulite and Nephelinite Properties
Know all about Granulite and Nephelinite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granulite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Nephelinite belongs to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granulite is Granoblastic whereas that of Nephelinite is Aphanitic. Granulite appears Veined or Pebbled and Nephelinite appears Skeletal. The luster of Granulite is vitreous while that of Nephelinite is vitreous to metallic. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. The commercial uses of Granulite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, soil conditioner, tombstones and that of Nephelinite are creating artwork, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).