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Granulite vs Nephelinite


Nephelinite vs Granulite


Definition

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

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   

Uses

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

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

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   

Properties

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   

Reserves

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   

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Granulite vs Nephelinite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Granulite and Nephelinite Reserves. 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).. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Granulite vs Nephelinite information and Granulite vs Nephelinite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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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.

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