Definition
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
Aplite is a fine-grained granite composed mainly of feldspar and quartz
Discoverer
Patrick Marshall
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
From German Aplit, from Greek haploos simple + -ite
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Granular, Graphic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
As Dimension Stone
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Small Sculptures, Tombstones
Types
Pyroclastic rock
Igneous rock
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Available in lots of colors, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Ignimbrites are formed from very poorly sorted mixture of volcanic ash or tuff and pumice lapilli, commonly with scattered lithic fragments.
Aplites belong to intrusive igneous rocks which are mostly quart and alkali feldspar and are formed from residual eutectic granitic liquids and represent the final crystallization products of magma.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic 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, Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Dull to Pearly to Subvitreous
Specific Gravity
2.73
2.6
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1-1.8 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
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, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
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
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
-
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
-
Ignimbrite vs Aplite 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. Ignimbrite vs Aplite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Ignimbrite and Properties of Aplite. Learn more about Ignimbrite vs Aplite in the next section. The interior uses of Ignimbrite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Aplite include Bathrooms, Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens and Stair treads. Due to some exceptional properties of Ignimbrite and Aplite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Ignimbrite in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate and that of Aplite include As dimension stone.
More about Ignimbrite and Aplite
Here you can know more about Ignimbrite and Aplite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Ignimbrite and Aplite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Ignimbrite includes Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Aplite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Ignimbrite vs Aplite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Ignimbrite is available in beige, black, brown, grey, pink, white colors whereas, Aplite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors. Appearance of Ignimbrite is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Aplite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Ignimbrite vs Aplite. The hardness of Ignimbrite is 4-6 and that of Aplite is 6.5. The types of Ignimbrite are Pyroclastic rock whereas types of Aplite are Igneous rock. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Ignimbrite and Aplite is white. The specific heat capacity of Ignimbrite is 0.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Aplite 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.Ignimbrite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Aplite is heat resistant, wear resistant.