Definition
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains which are composed of concentric layers of calcite
Discoverer
Patrick Marshall
William Smith
Etymology
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
From oo- + -lite, after German Oolit. A rock consisting of fine grains of carbonate of lime
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Aphanitic
Clastic or Non-Clastic
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, Red, Silver, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Rounded and Rough
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
-
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
Cement Manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Jewelry, Used in aquariums
Types
Pyroclastic rock
Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Available in lots of colors, Generally rough to touch, Very fine grained 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.
Oolites form when layers of calcite are deposited around a sand grain or fossil piece and are rolled around in calm water, which makes them round.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, MgO
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
-
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Fine Grained
Fracture
Uneven
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Pearly to Shiny
Specific Gravity
2.73
-9999
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1-1.8 g/cm3
-9999 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
Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Adelaide, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Yorke Peninsula
Ignimbrite vs Oolite 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 Oolite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Ignimbrite and Properties of Oolite. Learn more about Ignimbrite vs Oolite in the next section. The interior uses of Ignimbrite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Oolite include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Ignimbrite and Oolite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Ignimbrite in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate and that of Oolite include Cement manufacture, Cobblestones, Landscaping.
More about Ignimbrite and Oolite
Here you can know more about Ignimbrite and Oolite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Ignimbrite and Oolite 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 Oolite includes Calcite, Chert, Clay, Dolomite, Quartz, Sand, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Ignimbrite vs Oolite, 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, Oolite is available in black, blue, brown, cream, green, grey, pink, red, silver, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Ignimbrite is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Oolite is Rounded and Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Ignimbrite vs Oolite. The hardness of Ignimbrite is 4-6 and that of Oolite is 3-4. The types of Ignimbrite are Pyroclastic rock whereas types of Oolite are Pisolitic Oolite and Oncolitic Oolite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Ignimbrite and Oolite is white. The specific heat capacity of Ignimbrite is 0.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Oolite is 0.65 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 Oolite is heat resistant, wear resistant.