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
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
Origin
New Zealand
Finland, Europe
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From German which means hornstone
From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone
Class
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Plutonic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Platy
Earthy, Granular
Color
Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Reddish Brown
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull
Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
for Road Aggregate, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Types
Biotite hornfels
Not Available
Features
Smooth to touch
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
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.
Ijolite 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.
Mineral Content
Andalusite
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Compound Content
Fe, Mg
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal to Uneven
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Shiny
Greasy to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Toughness
Not Yet Found
Not Available
Specific Gravity
3.4-3.9
2.6-2.76
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
0.25-0.30 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, North Korea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, 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
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
Hornfels vs Ijolite 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 Ijolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Hornfels and Properties of Ijolite. Learn more about Hornfels vs Ijolite in the next section. The interior uses of Hornfels include Decorative aggregates, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Ijolite include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior decoration and Kitchens. Due to some exceptional properties of Hornfels and Ijolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Hornfels in construction industry include For road aggregate, Roadstone and that of Ijolite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of magnesium and dolomite refractories.
More about Hornfels and Ijolite
Here you can know more about Hornfels and Ijolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Hornfels and Ijolite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Hornfels includes Andalusite and mineral content of Ijolite includes Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite. You can also check out the list of all Metamorphic Rocks. When we have to compare Hornfels vs Ijolite, 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, Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors. Appearance of Hornfels is Dull and that of Ijolite is Banded and Foilated. Properties of rock is another aspect for Hornfels vs Ijolite. The hardness of Hornfels is 2-3 and that of Ijolite is 5.5-6. The types of Hornfels are Biotite hornfels whereas types of Ijolite are Not Available. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Hornfels is unknown while that of Ijolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Hornfels is 0.84 kJ/Kg K and that of Ijolite is Not Available. 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 Ijolite is heat resistant, impact resistant, wear resistant.