Definition
Ijolite is an intrusive igneous rock which is composed mainly of nepheline and an alkali pyroxene, usually aegirine-augite
Breccia is a rock consisting of angular fragments of stones which are cemented by finer calcareous material
Origin
Finland, Europe
England
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From the first syllable of the Finnish words Ii-vaara, Iijoki, &c. commonly used geographical names in Finland, and the Gr. Xiflos, a stone
From Italian, literally gravel, Germanic origin and related to break
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Earthy, Granular
Brecciated, Clastic
Color
Brown, Buff, Cream, Green, Grey, Pink, White
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Green, Grey, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Rust, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Banded and Foilated
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration, Kitchens
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry
Types
Not Available
Collapse Breccia, Fault Breccia, Flow Breccia, Pyroclastic Breccia, Igneous Breccia and Impact Breccia
Features
Application of acids on the surface causes cloudy frosting, Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Is one of the oldest rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Clasts are smooth to touch
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Used
Not Used
Formation
Ijolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock which is composed of broken fragments of minerals or rock which are cemented together by a fine-grained matrix and it forms where broken, angular fragments of rock or mineral debris accumulate.
Mineral Content
Albite, Amphibole, Biotite, Cancrinite, Feldspar, Hornblende, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Sodalite
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Phosphates, Quartz, Silica
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, Ca, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Medium to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Uneven
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Greasy to Dull
Dull to Pearly
Cleavage
Poor
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.76
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.6 g/cm3
0 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
England, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, United Kingdom
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Barbados, Canada, Mexico, Panama, USA
South America
Colombia
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New Zealand, Queensland, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
All about Ijolite and Breccia Properties
Know all about Ijolite and Breccia properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Ijolite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Breccia belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Ijolite is Earthy, Granular whereas that of Breccia is Brecciated, Clastic. Ijolite appears Banded and Foilated and Breccia appears Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny. The luster of Ijolite is greasy to dull while that of Breccia is dull to pearly. Ijolite is available in brown, buff, cream, green, grey, pink, white colors whereas Breccia is available in beige, black, blue, brown, buff, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red, rust, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Ijolite are cemetery markers, creating artwork and that of Breccia are creating artwork, gemstone, jewelry.