Definition
Icelandite belongs to volcanic igneous rocks which is rich in iron and belongs to andesite rock
Peridotite is a dense, coarse-grained plutonic is the main constituent of the earth's mantle
Origin
Iceland
Pike County, U.S
Discoverer
Ian S. E. Carmichael
Unknown
Etymology
From its origin place near Cenozoic volcano near the parsonage Þingmúli in East Iceland
From French, from peridot + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic to Porphyritic
Phaneritic
Color
Bluish - Grey, Grey, Pink, Yellow
Dark Greenish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull and Soft
Rough and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Office Buildings, Roof Tiles
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Cobblestones, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Types
Intermediate volcanic rock
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite and Pyrolite
Features
Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Is one of the oldest rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Icelandite 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.
Peridotites can be formed in two ways: as mantle rocks formed during the accretion and differentiation of the Earth or as cumulate rocks formed by precipitation of olivine and pyroxenes from basaltic magmas.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Garnet, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Zircon
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Silicon Dioxide
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Very fine-grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Irregular
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.8
3-3.01
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.11-2.36 g/cm3
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, South Korea
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Mexico, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
New Zealand, Western Australia