Definition
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
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'.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German, Horn horn + blende
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Igneous 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
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Earthy
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Foliated
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
Jadeitite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Hornblendite 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.
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, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon 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, Mechanical 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
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White to Grey
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, Turkey
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada
South America
Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Hornblendite 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. Hornblendite vs Serpentinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornblendite and Properties of Serpentinite. Learn more about Hornblendite vs Serpentinite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornblendite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Kitchens whereas the interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornblendite and Serpentinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornblendite in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cobblestones, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Production of glass and ceramics, Roadstone and that of Serpentinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Hornblendite and Serpentinite
Here you can know more about Hornblendite and Serpentinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornblendite and Serpentinite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornblendite includes Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite and mineral content of Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Hornblendite vs Serpentinite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Hornblendite is available in black, brown, green, grey colors whereas, Serpentinite is available in black, brown, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Hornblendite is Foliated and that of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornblendite vs Serpentinite. The hardness of Hornblendite is 6-7 and that of Serpentinite is 3-5. The types of Hornblendite are Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite 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 Hornblendite is white to grey while that of Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Hornblendite is 0.84 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.Hornblendite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Serpentinite is heat resistant.