Definition
Granulite is fine to medium grained metamorphic rock with a granular of polygonal crystals.
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
Origin
Central Europe
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin granulum, a little grain or fine grained
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granoblastic
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Soil Conditioner, Tombstones
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Metamorphic rock
Jadeitite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch
Host Rock for Lead
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
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 Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
-
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Very Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.8-3.0
2.79-3
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
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
-
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Granulite vs Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granulite and Properties of Serpentinite. Learn more about Granulite vs Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granulite and Serpentinite, 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 Serpentinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Granulite and Serpentinite
Here you can know more about Granulite and Serpentinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granulite and Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Granulite vs Serpentinite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granulite is available in black, brown colors whereas, Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Granulite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granulite vs Serpentinite. The hardness of Granulite is 6-7 and that of Serpentinite is 3-5. The types of Granulite are Metamorphic rock whereas types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granulite is white while that of Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Granulite is 0.14 kJ/Kg K and that of Serpentinite is 0.95 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 Serpentinite is heat resistant.