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).
  
History
  
  
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
  
Family
  
  
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
  
Maintenance
Less
  
Less
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
  
Skeletal
  
Architecture
  
  
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
  
Industry
  
  
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
  
Other Uses
  
  
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
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Data Not Available
  
Pictographs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Not Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
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.
  
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.
  
Composition
  
  
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
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
No
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
  
Contact Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
6-7
  
6.5
  
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
  
Fine Grained
  
Fracture
Not Available
  
Flat
  
Streak
White
  
White
  
Porosity
Very Less Porous
  
Less Porous
  
Luster
Vitreous
  
Vitreous to Metallic
  
Compressive Strength
175.00 N/mm2
  
13
35.00 N/mm2
  
29
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
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.14 kJ/Kg K
  
26
0.88 kJ/Kg K
  
13
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
  
Granulite vs Nephelinite 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. Granulite vs Nephelinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granulite and Properties of Nephelinite. Learn more about Granulite vs Nephelinite in the next section. The interior uses of Granulite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Nephelinite include Decorative aggregates, Homes and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granulite and Nephelinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granulite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls and that of Nephelinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate.
More about Granulite and Nephelinite
Here you can know more about Granulite and Nephelinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granulite and Nephelinite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granulite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz and mineral content of Nephelinite includes Clinopyroxene, Nepheline, Plagioclase. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Granulite vs Nephelinite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas, Nephelinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Granulite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Nephelinite is Skeletal. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granulite vs Nephelinite. The hardness of Granulite is 6-7 and that of Nephelinite is 6.5. The types of Granulite are Not Available whereas types of Nephelinite are Peralkaline Nephelinite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granulite and Nephelinite is white. The specific heat capacity of Granulite is 0.14 kJ/Kg K and that of Nephelinite is 0.88 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granulite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Nephelinite is heat resistant.