Definition
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
  
Rhyolite is a fine-grained igneous rock which is rich in silica
  
History
  
  
Origin
New Zealand
  
North America
  
Discoverer
Patrick Marshall
  
Ferdinand von Richthofen
  
Etymology
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
  
From German Rhyolit, from Greek rhuax lava stream + lithos stone
  
Class
Igneous Rocks
  
Igneous Rocks
  
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
  
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
  
Family
  
  
Group
Volcanic
  
Volcanic
  
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
  
Texture
Aphanitic
  
Aphanitic, Glassy, Porphyritic
  
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
  
Grey, White, Light Black
  
Maintenance
More
  
More
  
Durability
Durable
  
Durable
  
Water Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Scratch Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Stain Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Wind Resistant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Acid Resistant
No
  
Yes
  
Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
  
Banded
  
Architecture
  
  
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
  
Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
  
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
  
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings
  
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
  
Not Yet Used
  
Industry
  
  
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
  
Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives
  
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
  
Artifacts
  
Other Uses
  
  
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
  
Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry
  
Types
Not Available
  
Pumice Rocks, Obsidian Rocks, Perlite Rocks, Porphyritic Rocks.
  
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
  
Acidic in nature, Available in lots of colors
  
Archaeological Significance
  
  
Monuments
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Sculpture
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
  
Not Applicable
  
Pictographs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Petroglyphs
Used
  
Not Used
  
Figurines
Used
  
Not Yet Used
  
Fossils
Absent
  
Absent
  
Formation
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
  
Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock and due to its high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous and is volcanic equivalent of granite.
  
Composition
  
  
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
  
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
  
Ca, Fe, Potassium Oxide, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium
  
Transformation
  
  
Metamorphism
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
  
Weathering
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
  
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
  
Erosion
Yes
  
Yes
  
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
  
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
  
Physical Properties
  
  
Hardness
4-6
  
6-7
  
Grain Size
Fine Grained
  
Large and Coarse Grained
  
Fracture
Uneven
  
Sub-conchoidal
  
Streak
White
  
Colorless
  
Porosity
Highly Porous
  
Highly Porous
  
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
  
Earthy
  
Compressive Strength
243.80 N/mm2
  
5
140.00 N/mm2
  
15
Cleavage
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Toughness
Not Available
  
2
  
Specific Gravity
2.73
  
2.65-2.67
  
Transparency
Opaque
  
Opaque
  
Density
1-1.8 g/cm3
  
2.4-2.6 g/cm3
  
Thermal Properties
  
  
Specific Heat Capacity
0.20 kJ/Kg K
  
25
Not Available
  
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
  
Heat Resistant, Wear 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
  
China, India
  
Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
  
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
  
Europe
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
  
Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Spain
  
Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
  
Not Yet Found
  
Deposits in Western Continents
  
  
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
  
Canada, USA
  
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
  
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
  
Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
  
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia