Definition
Hornblendite is a type of igneous plutonic rock consisting mainly of amphibole hornblende and is a type of Amphibolite rock
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks which exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, especially on weathered surfaces, that give them a pockmarked appearance
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German, Horn horn + blende
From Latin varius, speckled, variegated
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Foliated, Massive
Glassy, Massive, Porphyritic, Scoriaceous, Vesicular
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Foliated
Dull and Soft
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
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, Cobblestones, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite
Not Available
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Matrix variable, Surfaces are often shiny
Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
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.
Variolites are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that exhibit pale colored spots on weathered surfaces that give them a pockmarked appearance.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite
Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Medium to Coarse Grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Irregular to Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Streak
White to Grey
White to Grey
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Not Available
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Irregular
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.5
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.85-3.07 g/cm3
2.9-3.1 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Russia, Turkey
India, Russia
Africa
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
South Africa
Europe
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland
Iceland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
South Australia, Western Australia
Not Yet Found
Hornblendite vs Variolite 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 Variolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornblendite and Properties of Variolite. Learn more about Hornblendite vs Variolite 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 Variolite include Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornblendite and Variolite, 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 Variolite include As dimension stone, Cobblestones, Rail track ballast, Roadstone.
More about Hornblendite and Variolite
Here you can know more about Hornblendite and Variolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornblendite and Variolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornblendite includes Amphibole, Calcite, Hornblade, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Wollastonite and mineral content of Variolite includes Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Hornblendite vs Variolite, 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, Variolite is available in black, brown, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Hornblendite is Foliated and that of Variolite is Dull and Soft. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornblendite vs Variolite. The hardness of Hornblendite is 6-7 and that of Variolite is 6. The types of Hornblendite are Hornblende Gabbro and Hornblende Peridotite whereas types of Variolite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornblendite and Variolite is white to grey. The specific heat capacity of Hornblendite is Not Available and that of Variolite is 0.84 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 Variolite is heat resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant.