Definition
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
Appinite is an igneous rock in which the crystals are so fine grained that individual minerals cannot be easily distinguished
Origin
New Zealand
Unknown
Discoverer
Patrick Marshall
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
From the variety of Lamprophyre Greek lampros bright and shining + porphureos purple
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Porphyritic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Whetstones
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Formation
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
The formation of Appinite takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Conchoidal
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.73
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
1-1.8 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Specific Heat Capacity
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen
Russia
Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia