Definition
Ignimbrite is a volcanic rock consisting mainly of pumice fragments, formed by the consolidation of material deposited by pyroclastic flows
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
Discoverer
Patrick Marshall
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin ignis fire + imber, imbr- shower of rain, storm cloud + -ite
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Volcanic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Color
Beige, Black, Brown, Grey, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Dull, Vesicular and Foilated
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Floor Tiles, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Building houses or walls, Construction Aggregate
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Not Available
Jadeitite
Features
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust
Host Rock for Lead
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.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Apatite, Biotite, Calcite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Hematite, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Pyroxene, Quartz
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Vitreous to Dull
Waxy and Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Irregular
Toughness
Not Available
7
Specific Gravity
2.73
2.79-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
1-1.8 g/cm3
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat 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
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Antarctica, Hawaii Islands
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, USA
Canada
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Central Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia
Ignimbrite vs Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Ignimbrite and Properties of Serpentinite. Learn more about Ignimbrite vs Serpentinite in the next section. The interior uses of Ignimbrite include Decorative aggregates, Floor tiles, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Serpentinite include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Ignimbrite and Serpentinite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Ignimbrite in construction industry include Building houses or walls, Construction aggregate and that of Serpentinite include As dimension stone, Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement.
More about Ignimbrite and Serpentinite
Here you can know more about Ignimbrite and Serpentinite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Ignimbrite and Serpentinite 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 Serpentinite includes Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Ignimbrite vs Serpentinite, 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, Serpentinite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, white colors. Appearance of Ignimbrite is Dull, Vesicular and Foilated and that of Serpentinite is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Ignimbrite vs Serpentinite. The hardness of Ignimbrite is 4-6 and that of Serpentinite is 3-5. The types of Ignimbrite are Not Available whereas types of Serpentinite are Jadeitite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Ignimbrite is white while that of Serpentinite is white, greenish white or grey. The specific heat capacity of Ignimbrite is 0.20 kJ/Kg K and that of Serpentinite is 0.95 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 Serpentinite is heat resistant.