Definition
Hornfels is a metamorphic rock formed by the contact between mudstone or other clay rich rock, and a hot igneous body, and represents a heat altered equivalent of the original rock
Granodiorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock containing quartz and plagioclase, and which has composition in between granite and diorite
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German which means hornstone
From granite + diorite
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Platy
Granular, Phaneritic
Color
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones
Types
Biotite hornfels
Granodiorite
Features
Smooth to touch
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Hornfels is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks.
Mineral Content
Andalusite
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
2.6-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Cameroon, East Africa, Tanzania, Western Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
United Kingdom
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
-
Hornfels vs Granodiorite 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. Hornfels vs Granodiorite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Granodiorite. Learn more about Hornfels vs Granodiorite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Granodiorite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Granodiorite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Granodiorite include As dimension stone.
More about Hornfels and Granodiorite
Here you can know more about Hornfels and Granodiorite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Granodiorite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite and mineral content of Granodiorite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Granodiorite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Hornfels is available in brown, dark greenish - grey, green, reddish brown colors whereas, Granodiorite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Granodiorite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Granodiorite. The hardness of Hornfels is 2-3 and that of Granodiorite is 6. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels whereas types of Granodiorite are Granodiorite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornfels is while that of Granodiorite is white. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Granodiorite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Hornfels is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant whereas Granodiorite is heat resistant, wear resistant.