1 Definition
1.1 Definition
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone
Diabase is a fine-grained igneous rock which is composed mostly of pyroxene and feldspar
1.2 History
1.2.1 Origin
Pennines, England
Germany
1.2.2 Discoverer
J.J. Ferber
Christian Leopold von Buch
1.3 Etymology
From Grit + Stone
From Greek di + base
1.4 Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
1.4.1 Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
1.5 Family
1.5.1 Group
1.6 Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
2 Texture
2.1 Texture
Earthy
Aphanitic, Granular
2.2 Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Colourless, Cream, Dark Brown, Green, Grey, Light Green, Light to Dark Grey, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Dark Grey to Black
2.3 Maintenance
2.4 Durability
2.4.1 Water Resistant
2.4.2 Scratch Resistant
2.4.3 Stain Resistant
2.4.4 Wind Resistant
2.4.5 Acid Resistant
2.5 Appearance
Layered and Foliated
Vesicular
3 Uses
3.1 Architecture
3.1.1 Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
3.1.2 Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses
3.2 Industry
3.2.1 Construction Industry
Construction Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
3.2.2 Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
3.3 Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
3.4 Other Uses
3.4.1 Commercial Uses
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO), Tombstones
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry, Sea Defence, Tombstones
4 Types
4.1 Types
Not Available
Not Available
4.2 Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained rock
Smooth to touch
4.3 Archaeological Significance
4.3.1 Monuments
4.3.2 Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Stonehenge in English county of Wiltshire
4.3.3 Sculpture
4.3.4 Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
4.3.5 Pictographs
4.3.6 Petroglyphs
4.3.7 Figurines
4.4 Fossils
5 Formation
5.1 Formation
Gritstone is a type of sedimentary rock which was formed on the floors of wide river deltas where the grit deposits were laid down, with every tide or flood dumping another layer of sediment.
Diabase forms when molten igneous rock is squeezed up into a vertical crack in other rocks, the crack is usually forced apart and the molten rock cools in the space to form a tabular igneous intrusion cutting across the surrounding rocks and is known as a dike.
5.2 Composition
5.2.1 Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Augite, Chlorite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine
5.2.2 Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Chromium(III) Oxide, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Sulfur Trioxide
5.3 Transformation
5.3.1 Metamorphism
5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
5.3.3 Weathering
5.3.4 Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
5.3.5 Erosion
5.3.6 Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
6 Properties
6.1 Physical Properties
6.1.1 Hardness
6.1.2 Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Fine to Medium Grained
6.1.3 Fracture
6.1.4 Streak
6.1.5 Porosity
Highly Porous
Highly Porous
6.1.6 Luster
6.1.7 Compressive Strength
70.00 N/mm2225.00 N/mm2
0.15
450
6.1.8 Cleavage
6.1.9 Toughness
6.1.10 Specific Gravity
6.1.11 Transparency
6.1.12 Density
2.2 g/cm32.7-3.3 g/cm3
0
1400
6.2 Thermal Properties
6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity
6.2.2 Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
7 Reserves
7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents
7.1.1 Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
India
7.1.2 Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
South Africa, Tanzania
7.1.3 Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Germany, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Turkey
7.1.4 Others
Greenland
Antarctica, Greenland
7.2 Deposits in Western Continents
7.2.1 North America
7.2.2 South America
Brazil
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela
7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent
7.3.1 Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Central Australia, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia